The Ranch
by Talon3
Summary: It's a western folks! Hope you will like!
1. Default Chapter

OK, I decided to write a western fan fic. Anyways…Phoebe is the owner/manager of a saloon which Gunther is the bartender at and manages the drinks, Joey is a drifter and a one time ranch hand and fought in the Civil War where he met Chandler, Ross is a man from the east who is looking to get away from the memories of his wife that died as well as his son in a house fire, Rachel is the daughter of a doctor from New York and is an old friend of Monica's she comes to the western town to escape an arranged marriage and what society expects of her, Monica is Ross's sister who is along for the ride and is wanting some adventure, and Chandler is a gambler who dreams of getting out of his profession that he was thrust into to own his own cattle ranch someday. Joey is Chandler's friend. Phoebe is the owner of a saloon in Montana territory.  
  
Now on with the fic…..I do not own the characters, BTW.  
  
   
  
********  
  
Saloon  
  
Small western town  
  
Colorado Territory, 1878  
  
Chandler sat back in his chair and surveyed the other players at the card table. His best friend, Joey Tribbianni, was at the bar smooth talking a lovely lady. While Chandler stuttered around women and could not relate to them at all, Joey could. What he excelled at was cards, Joey's facial expressions could be read easily. The other players could also be read just as easily.  
  
While waiting for a player to decide, he looked over at the mirror on the wall. His cards as well as the others could not be seen, but he could see his reflection very well. He needed to get a hair cut, his light brown hair fell a bit past his ears and in the back was touching his neck, his eyes were bright blue and above them on his temple he had a scar, courtesy of the Civil War.  
  
Finally, it now was the time for everyone to show their cards…  
  
Chandler laid his cards down on the table. "Full house gentlemen." He called out. Causing the other four men to groan and to swear while throwing their cards down to the table.   
  
It was not a lot of money, it never really was, just enough to see him and his friend Joey through for a while, unless Joey did something real stupid where Chandler would have to pay a fine or to pay for his nightly entertainment with a girl. They were real good friends, but if Joey kept doing that, there was going to be no way that he would get his dream of owning a cattle ranch.  
  
And it looked that the Colorado territory was about to become a state. Not to much longer, anyway. So there was no more land to really be had. Right after the Civil War, both ex-soldiers and newly freed slaves had picked up their lives and moved west. Some to get away from bad memories, some to get away from sharecropping and others because the west was the best place for a fresh new start.  
  
Chandler recently found out that he inherited some land from an uncle that was the black sheep of the family up at the Montana Territory up north right at the Canadian border. The winters might be longer and harder, but there was more land to be had to start a ranch. And they just needed money to buy cattle, horses and other supplies.  
  
"Well, I guess that is about it." A banker got up to leave.   
  
"Yes, I am tapped out." An old forty-niner stated.  
  
"I guess I will go and get something to eat, before you take ALL of my money." A young man smiled and left.  
  
"Wait! I want a rematch." Came the one who was trying his best to get drunk.   
  
He had lost the most money. He looked to be about the same age as Chandler, which was about 32, but he was taller, not as broad in the shoulders, had black hair and brown eyes. His clothes spoke of eastern finery and he had a tendency to speak like an aristocrat.   
  
"Listen, the game has ended. So why don't you go and sleep off your drink?" Chandler asked, trying to be friendly.  
  
"Because I want another game." He then stood up to full height. His hand right at the top of his gun. "Unless you are too chicken to play another game."  
  
Chandler looked over his shoulder and saw Joey slowly drawing his gun, Joey would always try to be there for Chandler when he felt that he got into trouble. He hoped that Joey would not kill the man, he was evidently drunk and looking for a fight. If this man would draw, there was no way he would win.  
  
Chandler fumbled with the cards he was reshuffling, trying to look like a bumbling idiot, and they went flying all over the place. "Uh, you could say that." Chandler shook his head yes.  
  
"Are you always so yellow bellied?"  
  
"It is how I stay alive, so YES!" Chandler smiled hoping that he would calm down. He did not want a repeat of what happened at Dodge City. At least everyone there agreed that he was only defending himself.   
  
"What is wrong with you? I demean your honor and that is all you have to say?" The man slurred out.  
  
"But what is it worth if you are dead?" Chandler asked. Still hoping that he will get fed up him and walk away and just in case, his hand went to his holster and unlocked it.   
  
Just then a small vase was brought down on top of his head. Easily knocking the drunk man out cold and shattering the vase to pieces.  
  
Chandler looked over at the person who swung the blow, only to see a petite young girl who looked to be about in her late teens to early twenties. "Thank you both for not killing my brother." She stated aloud to both Chandler and Joey who put away his revolver.  
  
"Uh, no problem Miss uh…." Chandler tipped his hat. He looked carefully at the woman, she had dark brown hair and light blue eyes and clear, porcelain skin. In short she was very pretty and any man would want her for his wife. He even wanted her as well, not to mention Joey did. He could tell by the way Joey was looking at her.  
  
"Geller, Monica Geller. And the form on the floor is my brother, Ross." Monica then sighed and put what was left of the vase down and started to pick her brother up. But Chandler and Joey started to help him up or to pick him up. Or actually Joey was the one who was picking the guy up. "You don't have to. I can do it myself."   
  
"No problem, Miss Geller." Chandler replied as he scooped chips into his hat, he would exchange them later on in the morning for his money.   
  
Not too bad, he made close to $400 that night. With all of his earnings over the past two nights, which were about up to $800, he might be able to landing a big card game in a big city and maybe, then just maybe he would be able to win enough to lay the ground work to start his dream ranch.  
  
"Uh, thanks." She then led the way to her brother's room. After they put Ross in bed they left. Joey went to find a darling of the night. Monica turned toward Chandler again. "You are a kind man and I thank you for not taking advantage of my brother when you had the chance."  
  
Chandler gave her a smile. "Listen Miss Geller, you should stop your brother from drinking so much. Or he is asking for trouble with not only loosing his money but his life. And you are also asking for trouble as well."  
  
"Me? But I did not do anything."  
  
"You are a beautiful young woman and if you are not careful you may loose your freedom, any man would want you. I don't mean to sound crude, but women out here are a scarcity. And a lot of men would take you as their wife without your consent. Understand?"  
  
"Oh, I see." Monica whispered.  
  
"Especially since you are beautiful, young, strong and smart. Which is a great combination for any person to have."  
  
"Well, thank you." Monica then smiled at him. "Good night and thanks for the warnings." She then entered her room which was right next to her brothers and down the hall from his.  
  
*****************  
  
Chandler went down to the saloon's dining room to get himself something to eat. And to think about what happened.  
  
Once he arrived in the saloon, he ordered a steak, well done, a baked potato with some butter and some bread. Not to mention some beer.   
  
As he was waiting for his order to arrive, he reflected on the woman he just met. She was smart, beautiful, resourceful, and one that he would not mind having as his wife. He shook his head. Until he had a ranch started, he should not be thinking these thoughts. He needed to get back to thinking about something else.  
  
Namely how he ended out here. During the war, he volunteered for the Union army against his father's wishes. His father wanted to hire a replacement for him, but Chandler enlisted anyway. Only to be told by his father that he was disowned. Not much caring for the easy life, Chandler just shrugged and left going straight to enlist right off in the forth year of the war or 1864, he had just turned 18 at the time.  
  
So while serving in the army, he met his friend Joey. They were both in the same outfit. Or the 97th out of New York. They both saw plenty of fighting to last the both of them a lifetime. They both saved each other's lives countless times. And they both became the brothers that neither had.  
  
So, it was only natural for the both of them to head west to seek their fortune and to team up in whatever they would do. They both worked as cattle hands, stable hands, helped to build the railroad, surveyors, clerks, lumberjacks, miners and Chandler even worked as a writer for a while.  
  
Out west, Chandler found out that he had a knack at playing cards, so he became a gambler. And yet, he still kept his dream to own and run a cattle ranch. And Joey learned how to become a very good cattle hand. While Chandler was good at it, Joey was better, so it would be Joey who would be the head of the cattle, while Chandler would see to the finances and other such.  
  
   
  
***********  
  
The next night, another gambler was in town. And him and the banker, and Ross and another man started to play against him. By the end of the night, or just at the crack of dawn, Chandler had amassed a fortune. Or it was now in the pot. The hand he now had would determine if he was going to be a gambler for much longer or if he was going to buy some supplies for a trip up north.  
  
He had four queens. There were four hands that were better than that. He wondered if one of the other two had one of the hands. Ross Geller, he had no idea about. The other gambler, it could very well be.  
  
Finally, they all made their last calls.   
  
Gambler: "$1500." He then through his chips in.  
  
"Call." Chandler through his chips into the pot.  
  
Ross sat there. He had two kings and two aces and one eight. He also had only $300. "Uh."  
  
"Listen sonny, either call or you are out." The older gambler called out.  
  
"Uh, I have the money." Ross defended himself.  
  
"Well then call!"  
  
"It is in a bank in San Francisco." Ross explained.  
  
"Then you are out."  
  
"If I lose the card game, I will go to San Francisco and get the money."  
  
"You will run." The gambler stated drinking down his whiskey.  
  
"I will not. My sister will stay here as my promise to you."  
  
"What?" Chandler was shocked. Joey, who was behind Chandler at the bar, was also stunned.   
  
"You mean you will leave your sister as a type of marker? If you do not comeback, then she belongs to me!" The gambler was happy. That much was evident. "You mean that pretty little filly with black hair and blue eyes?" Monica was down there earlier and the man had seen her. She had retired for the evening sometime ago. But, Chandler could not help but notice how that man eyed Monica. Ross did not seem to care. All he cared about was winning his money back that he lost last night  
  
"Listen, me and my friend just fought in a war to stop slavery, and you want to offer your sister up as a slave?" Chandler asked.  
  
"She is my sister, of course I do not. That is why I will not run." Ross reasoned aloud.  
  
"Deal!" The gambler shouted. Evidently he wanted her in a very satisfying way.  
  
"Fine." Chandler grumbled. "But I don't like it."  
  
"I do." The old man was grinning like a fool.  
  
"I had no idea." Chandler mumbled.  
  
"One little stipulation, she does not leave her room and you do not enter it at all. She is only a marker." Ross stated.  
  
"Fine. But if you do not show up with the money, then she is mine." The old gambler then grinned at the thought. "Now, let's see the cards."  
  
What happened next was almost too surreal to be real. Since there were only three of them left playing, Ross laid his down first, then Chandler and then the gambler who had a straight flush.   
  
When he started to reach for the chips, a card fell out of his jacket. And a fight erupted. The sheriff was called and so was a judge to determine the outcome. The sheriff took the man away to jail, and the judge decreed that the money go to the next highest winner of the game. Thus being Chandler.  
  
Ross looked stupefied while Chandler was almost too astonished to say anything.   
  
"Now, young man, you get on the next coach out and get that $1200 back here, understand?" The judge asked Ross. Ross merrily shook his head yes. The judge did not think too highly of what Ross did either.  
  
"It will take awhile. I do not have the money for a ticket." Ross stated aloud.  
  
"I will buy you one. And you WILL pay me back. Understand?" Chandler explained.  
  
"Yes, I understand."  
  
Later that morning, Ross emerged out of Monica's room with a red mark on his face. Not to mention he looked very flustered after Monica yelling at him at the top of her lungs. The whole saloon could hear it. He had just told Monica what he had done.  
  
Seeing that Chandler could not help but commit, "Took it that well, huh? Of course if I were in her shoes, I would have shot you."  
  
"And he would not have been back here with the money. I have to think of the future, namely mine." Monica stated from behind Ross.  
  
"Don't worry Miss Geller, I will not take advantage of you." Chandler promised.  
  
"Probably not. But, I still do not trust you."  
  
"Understandable." Chandler committed. "But, I don't trust you either."  
  
After Ross had left, Chandler told Joey to follow him and to keep an eye on him. It was done for two reasons, one he did not trust Ross and two, he wanted him to get his money to him safe and sound.  
  
   
  
***********  
  
One week later  
  
San Francisco  
  
Bank  
  
Ross emerges out from it and starts to walk toward the post office. On his way, he sees a sign that talks about the Gold Strike up in Alaska. Instead of buying a ticket to Colorado, he buys a steamboat ticket to Alaska. He then quickly writes a letter to Monica. Sends it and then quickly boards the boat that is headed up the coast. Not noticing that he is being watched by Joey.  
  
   
  
**********  
  
One week later, Joey walks into the saloon and sits next to Chandler. "I take it he ran." Chandler says evenly as he lifted his glass and drained it.  
  
"Alaska. He sent her a letter before he left. Some brother, I would die for any of my sisters." Joey then sighs. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"I am going to make her our cook and housekeeper."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We are still going to start that ranch. And we will be too busy to cook and to do trivial household chores."  
  
"Good idea. When are you going to tell her?"  
  
"The letter will tell her he is not coming back. I will tell her what she is going to do to make up for the money. That is if she has no other way to pay me back"  
  
"Unfortunately I do not. Dad gave as much money to Ross that he could afford to come out west. And has squandered it by gambling, drinking and women. So I do not have any ways to get you the money. And the way for me to pay you back is…?" A pale faced Monica asked behind them. She apparently had gotten the letter.  
  
"You will wire your family, explaining that you need the money. They would surely help you out." Chandler decided. Three days later, they got a telegram back saying that there was no way that they could send the money.  
  
"You will accompany me and Joey to Montana and will be our cook and housekeeper for five years. Nothing more." Chandler, who apparently made a decision after getting the telegram back, then looked over at her. "You will cook and clean and do laundry and other household related jobs. Understand?"  
  
Monica gulped. "Perfectly." At least that was all that he was requiring of her. She knew that she had gotten off very easy compared to how some would have gotten off.  
  
   
  
**********  
  
Chandler had won a little over ten thousand dollars. They spent about four thousand of it and went and bought one large farm wagon. And other supplies. Enough to see them through an entire year. As well as other tools and needed items. And some animals. Like six laying hens, fifteen oxen to pull the wagon, three dairy cows, a female pig and four horses. With enough feed and other equipment they would need to see them through a year and three rifles a shotgun and ammunition, gun sheaths and five pistols. And Joey's cow dogs, Stevie, which was five years old and Rosita, which was a year old.  
  
They then left Denver, Colorado and started the trek up to the Montana Territory. The journey was not easy. And it took them almost a month. They followed a wagon train that was going up to the Territory up north.   
  
Monica rode in the wagon with Chandler. Joey rode one of the horses and herded the animals along as well as Rosita and Stevie helping him. Once in a while Chandler and Joey would trade spaces. And at times, Monica would walk beside the wagon to get exercise. During the ride, Joey or Chandler would teach her how to ride and to drive the wagon.  
  
During the journey, Monica cooked the dinner and washed the clothes. While Chandler and Joey looked after the stock and the wagons. At night, when they were all done with the chores, Monica would start sewing or would read while Joey and Chandler would play their instruments or would whittle on a stick. Or they would all play a game of cards or checkers.  
  
One night, Joey was bored. Monica and Chandler were both reading. Chandler a newspaper that he purchased from a town and Monica was busy writing letters to her father and one to Rachel, back in New York. Joey kept interrupting them while pacing back and forth and sighing.  
  
Finally, Monica had enough. "Joey if you are that bored, why don't you read? I have plenty of books to choose from."  
  
"I was never taught." Joey mumbled.  
  
"I can teach you. If you want." Monica smiled, glad to have something to do.  
  
"I have tried before, it is just that I can not learn!" Joey slumped down. "You must think I am really dumb, huh?"  
  
"I don't think that. You are much smarter than me in a lot of things."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"You can ride horses better than me and you know how to drive a wagon better than me."  
  
"But not reading."  
  
"Well, let me at least try and teach you to write your name and to do simple arithmetic." Monica offered Joey.  
  
"Arithme…what?" Joey asked.  
  
"Math, Joey." Chandler confirmed. Still not looking up from his paper.  
  
"Yes, when we get up to the territory, you can write your name on important documents like deeds instead of an 'X'. What do you think?" Monica asked, hoping that Joey would agree.  
  
Joey smiled and then relented. "Ok. That is fine by me."  
  
"Great, how about we start now?" Monica then got up to get a slate and chalk from the wagon. Once she came back Joey was gone. "Where did he go?"  
  
"He remembered that he had another pressing job to do."  
  
"But he said he wanted to learn."  
  
"Monica, you would get better results hitting your head on a tree than trying to teach Joey book learning." Chandler calmly told her.  
  
Monica gave him a look. "If his friend would offer more support, then he would probably be able to learn better and not to be afraid."  
  
"I tried to teach him how to read one winter. He told me to forget it." Chandler explained. "But if you think you can, then I will be supportive in any way I can."  
  
During the trail ride, Monica and Chandler both discussed different ways of teaching Joey how to do simple math. They would work on his name latter.   
  
Finally, they discussed with Joey the cattle ranch and how many cattle he thought they were going to have and discussed in terms of the herds and how big they were. They went on to discuss how many acres are in a mile which happened to be 640. And how many cattle they could have grazing on them without fear of over grazing. Finally, Joey started to catch on how to do complex math and then soon after he saw what Chandler and Monica were doing.   
  
After seeing how easy it was for them to teach him how to add, he then tackled spelling and how to write his name. It took them a while, but by the time they reached Helena, Joey was reading simple words and could write his name. So he could now write his name when it came time to write out a deed at the land office.  
  
Once they found the land that Chandler inherited, they found out it was 300 miles of good land, good enough to raise a good sized herd of cattle on. It had plains on it, hills, woods, a river, a creek, and a pond. In short it was the ideal land for a ranch.  
  
After arriving, Joey found out that their neighbors ran into some hardships. In short the father had died leaving a young mother and a ten year old boy. She wanted to go back east to live with her parents and to get her soon a good education. So Chandler made a very good offer for the land. So that the woman would have enough for her and her son's needs. The lands had on it hills, mountains, plains, small creeks or tributaries to the river and a forest.  
  
And soon after arriving, they found out that there was a dirt floor cabin and a barn with a well that was already dug on the edge of the property not too far from a small town. No more than a one and a half hours ride.  
  
The town, if you could even call it that, was just starting. It had a saloon that served as a tavern that served food, a stage for entertainment, and hotel and at the front desk was where the mail was dropped off at. It was owned and ran by a young woman by the name of Phoebe Buffay.  
  
But everyone could tell that there was going to be a town there sometime in the future. The saloon sat on a crossroads where one could have a ranch on the plain area or do some mining or trapping further back in the hills or mountains or maybe even some lumberjacking in the woody areas.  
  
They divided the land as of some mountainous on Joey's land, some wood land on his as well and Chandler had his a bit woody and a river and a pond and then after the river the plains were started so that there were plenty of good grazing lands for the cattle they hoped to have. The cabin and barn and other buildings were almost on an intersection of where there lands met.  
  
Once they arrived at the cabin, they were astonished they had bought the cabin sight unseen because winter was fast approaching. They knew that they had some work to be done on it, but not as much as what met their eyes. The cabin was almost falling apart, the well was dry but at least the barn or shack was in good shape.  
  
So they inspected the cabin. The door was almost off the hinges, which was the first thing they fixed. There were spider webs all around. Dust bunnies were all over the place. The furniture was broken. There was nothing to cover the windows. Part of the back wall was out. And the chimney had fallen apart. And part of the roof had halfway fallen in. They started to fix all of that, by putting on a new roof, shutters to cover the windows and a tarp to cover the back wall until they could fix it.  
  
One look at the cabin, Monica balked. "NO, I will NOT live in THAT! It is falling apart. So forget it!"  
  
"Monica between Joey and me, we will get this cabin built back into shape before the week is over."  
  
"I am not living in it until then."   
  
"We could sleep in a tent." Joey offered. "Or you could continue to sleep in the wagon. You have slept in there all this time. So why not a week more?"  
  
"He is right, by this time next week, the cabin should be done."  
  
"I guess I have no choice." Monica relented.  
  
It took Joey and Chandler five days to repair the cabin. And Monica had to get the cabin clean. And tidy it up and put everything where they all belonged.  
  
As soon as they finished with the chimney which was the last part, they started to work on the shack or the barn. They re dug a well close to the house. They fixed it which took another three days and they started to build a barn. With enough stalls for all of the animals and a place for the chickens and even a bed for the dogs.  
  
Chandler and Joey even built an extra add on or lean to that was right by the house and where the back wall was at after they finished with the barn. It stood about four feet tall and could be stocked with wood and opened to the outside and to the cabin. They could put their wood in that to keep it from being wet and have it where it was more handy. Chandler and Joey then filled it up. They were able to get it done right before winter hit.   
  
They had to go to the forest and cut down trees and then cut the trees into logs that would be easy to get to the house. They then took them by wagon to the house with the oxen pulling them since they were so heavy. After arriving at the house, they made a huge pile of the wood. Before doing that, they filled up the attached lean to by the house.   
  
They continued making trips with the wood until they had gotten enough to see them through the winter. Which was a weeks worth. They kept it up until the snows came for the first time that year.  
  
While the guys were improving the property, Monica was fighting a battle with the house. Cleaning it, while cooking, collecting the eggs from the hens they brought with them and doing the milking from the three dairy cows. Joey had to show her how to do the milking and it was by trial and error that she learned to cook. Much to the guys chagrin.  
  
It took her a while, but she learned how to cook very well. She got lessons and tips from the other women on the wagon train. So by the time they arrived up north, she had both Joey and Chandler spoiled with how good her cooking was.  
  
She cleaned the cabin by having to go to the river and bring back some water, chase away the spiders and get rid of their webs, sweep the dirt floor, clean out the fireplace. In it she found a mother cat who had three babies. Two of them were dead and one was still clinging to life. She heated some milk and fed it to both the mother and the baby. The kitten made it the mother did not. So they kept the kitten to become a housecat to keep down the rats and mice. According to Chandler and Joey a pet according to Monica. Which she named it Chi-Chi.  
  
And then there was the laundry, which she did once a week, she had to tote a huge bucket of water from the stream to the house put it on to warm, put it back down again from the stove, put the clothes in it and then a washboard. Grab the soap with one hand and a pair of clothes with the other and start to clean them on the washboard. After she was done, she hung them out to dry. Which took about all day. Took them down and mended them and ironed them and then put them away.  
  
At first she was not that good at it, the clothes were never washed right and she hung them up wrong, so they did not look right when she took them down. Joey did not mind, it was Chandler that had to take her aside and show her how to wash clothes.   
  
Plus, one day Rosita decided to have some fun at her expense, as she was taking a whole basket full of clothes in the house, he grabbed her skirt and pulled on it, knocking her down into the wash bucket. She was slightly bruised and humiliated. And screaming bloody murder at the dog who grabbed Joey's favorite shirt and made a beeline toward the barn.  
  
Once hearing Monica scream out, the guys came running. What they saw made them laugh. As they were laughing, Monica got up fuming. "Fine, then you both can do your OWN laundry from now on! And Joey, good luck in getting your favorite shirt back from your flea bitten mongrel of yours!"  
  
"Hey, she is not a flea…" Just then it dawned on Joey. "My favorite shirt? Which way did that sneaking, thieving polecat go?"  
  
"The barn." Monica stated as Chandler helped her up and started to pick up the clothes.  
  
"The barn?" Joey asked.  
  
"Yes Joey, you know, his favorite spot where he lays at which is in the mud by the pig trough." Chandler almost laughed.  
  
"Oh crap." Joey then took off after his dog.  
  
"I am sorry about this, Monica. Why don't you go and get cleaned up and lay down for a while and I will take care of everything else." Chandler asked.  
  
"The last time we had your cooking, Joey made me promise not to let you cook again."  
  
"He is just spoiled because of your terrific cooking."  
  
"Thanks, Chandler. But if you really want to help. Then you do the laundry." As Monica started to walk toward the house a loud noise was heard from the barn.  
  
"GIVE ME BACK MY SHIRT, NOW! I FEED YOU SO YOU BETTER BE NICE!" Joey screamed. And then a PLOP was heard and then the dog ran out followed by Joey who was covered in mud. Causing Monica and Chandler to laugh.   
  
"Joey, if you want to eat tonight, then you had better get a bath." Monica called out. Joey then mumbled something inaudible and quickly ran after his dog.  
  
There was one small twin bed. So the guys gave that to Monica after they repaired it. And they took the floor with their bedrolls and pillows. After all, they were used to sleeping on the ground. The rest of the furniture of the cabin was a rough table, two benches, three chests and a table to put the dishes on. Monica did the cooking on top of the fireplace.  
  
The morning began like this for them. Which would begin before the sun was even up.  
  
Joey and Chandler would see to the livestock. Which meant feeding them and watering them before breakfast and exercising them afterwards. The guys would then start preparing for winter, by cutting more wood and bringing it to the house, securing the grain and hay for the animals and them going hunting so they could have plenty of meat. They already had enough of other supplies. But they wanted to make sure they had enough of the rest.  
  
Monica would do the milking and collect the eggs. While the guys were out, she would start breakfast. After breakfast, she would then use the extra milk to make butter in the churn or to make cheese and then start on other household chores like the laundry or the cleaning.   
  
One cold morning, Monica woke up, got dressed and got on her coat and opened the door only to be greeted by a layer of white on the ground. It was beautiful. But it was ONLY mid October. It was clear that it was going to be a rough winter.  
  
"Well, it snowed. It looks beautiful. Huh?" Chandler asked as he stood behind her.  
  
"Yes, it does." Monica replied softly.  
  
"You will get cabin fever before too long." Joey prophesied.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yup. You will get tired of it." Chandler then headed toward the barn, with Joey.   
  
Joey turned around, stopping Monica. "Oh, Monica. I will do the milking from here on out. You are learning fast. But you take way too long. Besides, you are not to get out. Chandler and I will look after the livestock and that includes getting the milk and eggs in and getting the water."   
  
Chandler then went and got the water and took it back to the house, while Joey went to collect the eggs then took them in since Chandler was clumsy and would probably drop them, and they both did the milking then took the buckets to the house. By the time they arrived back from their chores, breakfast was ready for them.   
  
Which was eggs, bacon, bread, cheese, butter, coffee and fresh milk to drink. Monica had learned by then how to prepare the food and both Chandler and Joey were finding her to be a good cook.  
  
By next month, the snow continued to fall harder and harder. Till it was finally up past the windowsill. Joey and Chandler had to take shovels and make pathways to the barn, the well and the outhouse. As well as to shovel the snow off the roofs to keep them from caving in. As well as to the wood pile that they had brought up. They had to bring up some more.  
  
In the cabin, they all talked and got to know each other well. And started to become good friends. During the evenings, Monica would sew as she listened to Joey and Chandler talk about some times they had together. Or Chandler and Joey would play the guitar and harmonica. And on other occasions she would tell them what life had been like for her growing up. A few times she even gave Joey some more lessons in learning.  
  
One night, Chandler learned from Monica that her family was well off. In short her mom HAD to have a maid and a cook. And since her mom wanted that, her father could not afford to help her out.  
  
"You mean to tell me that your family has enough to hire a cook and a maid…"  
  
"Three… One for the main floor one for the upstairs and my mom's personal maid." Monica confided.  
  
"Three? And they don't have enough money to help you out?"  
  
"What mom wants, she gets. Whether it be maids, costly dresses or huge parties. She has to keep up her place in society/" That statement shocked Chandler.  
  
"But, they gave money to your brother…"  
  
"My brother is looked at as the savior of the family. All the family's hopes rest on him." Monica broke a stick and sighed sadly while looking down at the table. "They would do anything that he asked. The reason why we were out here in the west to begin with was that he lost his wife and son in a house fire, so he wanted to get away from New York and the memories."  
  
"But what about you?"  
  
"I am a big disappointment to my mother. And dad is too busy to notice me. I came to get away from my mother, she really hates me by how she puts me down, constantly."  
  
Chandler held her hand gently, "That makes me to think not too highly of your mother. Because, after getting to know you, I am honored to be your friend."   
  
Monica looked at Chandler and smiled through her tears. "Thank you Chandler. And it goes the same for me. I feel very lucky to have you as a friend."   
  
It was then that Joey walked in on the touching scene. He smiled at Chandler and Monica. He had hoped that his friend would eventually find a girl that he was comfortable around. He was never very comfortable around any of the girls.   
  
It was only Monica that he seemed to be secure around and it was obvious to him that Chandler was taken by Monica. He had noticed it coming for a while now. Joey wished that for Chandler's sake Monica would feel the same way towards him. Hopefully, just maybe, they would eventually marry.  
  
   
  
   
  
  


	2. The Cattle Drive

Here is the second part. I hope you like it! It came very easily to me.  
  
Now that I am back for good. I will have more fics coming your way.   
  
Hope that you like…  
  
*********************  
  
The Cattle Drive  
  
*******  
  
The winter was not as tough as they originally thought. It was still pretty bad, but it could have been worse. The first part of it was the harder part. The rest was quit mild. Cold as heck, but mild in that not much more snow fell. Although Chandler did while walking on the ice and he sprained his ankle. It was a good thing it was winter and there was not that many chores that had to be done. But Chandler did not get off that easily, he had to help Monica with the inside chores and they got to know each other better.  
  
By the time that the snows melted and spring had finally come, Monica was no longer a city girl. But a young woman who was a pioneer and ahead of the ranch house or cabin. Joey was now able to read, not as well as Chandler and Monica, he still stumbled over certain words. But he read better than a lot of people out west. Considering not too many could even sign their names. And Chandler found that, besides Joey, he had the best friend ever.  
  
*************  
  
Once most of the snow had melted away, Chandler, Monica and Joey went to the saloon/hotel/restaurant. All three of them were riding horses. All wearing heavy coats, flannel shirts, pants, boots, hats, scarves, and gloves.   
  
As they were riding, they noticed how everything seemed to be coming alive or waking up after a long winter's nap. And for safety's sake. They were all carrying pistols and Chandler was carrying a rifle and Joey a shotgun.   
  
The rifle and shotgun were not the ones that would have saved their lives. They could not get them out in a hurry, it would have been the pistols that would have. Chandler and Joey were carrying two each and Monica had one. And they carried them in their belts.  
  
Finally after three hours, they arrived in front of Phoebe's. Once arriving, a young man came and took their horses from them and took them over to the stables. They then went inside. Where they sat themselves down at one of the tables. Chandler was distracted by one of the poker games and Joey was buys straining his neck to get a gander at the females. Monica just looked bored.  
  
Phoebe was talking with one of her many girls when she noticed their arrival. She took two of them to be brother and sister and the girl to be married to the man with the light brown hair. She walked over to say hi. And to introduce herself.  
  
Monica then noticed a beautiful blond haired woman in an emeralrd green dress that was off the shoulders and showed off her cleavage. Monica felt out of place and self conscious in her jeans and flannel shirt.  
  
"Hi, Phoebe Buffay, owner and manager of this establishment." phoebe then shook each of their hands.  
  
"Monica Geller." Monica smiled weakly atPhoebewhile shaking her hand.  
  
Phoebe smiled. "Hello, Monica."  
  
"Joey Tribianni and How areYOU doin?"  
  
Phoebe placed herhandoverhermouth and giggled like a schoolgirl. She then blushed. "ok."  
  
"Chandler Bing, I just now own some land up near Rock Bend Creek."  
  
"That was Lance Caldwell's land."  
  
"He was my mother's uncle."  
  
"Uhmmmm, are you anything like him?" Phoebe asked looking at him slyly?  
  
"Didn't know him, except that he knew of me."  
  
"Well, he was proud of you for sticking up for yourself like you did." Phoebe smiled.  
  
"My stomach bothered me for exactly three and a half weeks afterward."  
  
You know when it ended?" Monica asked.  
  
"Yup, July first through the third 1864."  
  
"You were at the battle of Gettysburg." Monica softly wanted to know.  
  
"We both were." Joey sighed out.  
  
"Oh." Monica stated.  
  
"Gunther." Phoebe called out.  
  
A white haired man wearing an apron and carrying a towel walked over. "Yes Phoebe, what can I do?"  
  
"This is Lance Caldwell's great nephew, him and his friends are now living on his old homestead to do some mining."  
  
"Nope, no mining. Ranching." Chandler replied.  
  
Gunther smiled, in short it would be easier to get steaks. "May I take your orders?"  
  
"Steaks and beer for this three and my usual." Phoebe stated. Gunther walked away only to return quickly with four ice cold beers. And then went to get the steaks started.  
  
"I figured that you would go for the easy money." Phoebe stated.  
  
"Veins run out. But the need for food does not. And since I do not see me being a farmer, and I like working with livestock, I am wanting to be a rancher." Chandler replied.  
  
"A smart man. Not too many in these parts. And the rest of you?"  
  
"Well, I am going to be the ramrod of the ranch." Joey stated.  
  
"And I am the housekeeper or I will run the ranch house and do the cooking and laundry."  
  
"HMMMMM… are you sure you want to, I can give you a job here and you will make more money and a pretty thing like you, it will be hard to keep the guys in line."  
  
"Uh, thanks but no." Monica blushed and looked down at the table. Phoebe seeing this smiled. Monica had just confirmed, what she guessed. Monica had not yet been with a man.  
  
While waiting for the food to arrive, All four of them sat and talked with each other. Getting to know each other. Monica who had been lonely for some friendship that only a female could provide got to be really good friends with Phoebe and the other way around.   
  
Phoebe found her to be delightful and sweet. While Monica found Phoebe to be a bit hardnosed yet had a sweet nature as well.   
  
"Phoebe told her new friends that she was born in a whore house with her twin sister and both were put into an orphanage. They both went to work at a saloon at an early age. And while her sister became a prostitute, Phoebe still worked at the saloon, first as a maid then as a singer. Until she saved enough to move out west.   
  
"Once I had enough money saved up, I purchased supplies and hired some help together out here and built this saloon. Now I own it and run it myself!" Phoebe exclaimed with pride.  
  
"You started from nothing?"  
  
"Yes Joey I did!"  
  
"Then you were in the same boat as we are in."  
  
"We are going to head south to buy some cattle and to start a cattle drive up toward Big Rock Creek." Chandler exclaimed.  
  
"When will that be?" Phoebe asked. These people were the only ones around this part besides her who wanted to start something that would last. Instead of looking to get rich quick schemes. And she respected that.  
  
Right now only forty-niners were scurring around this area looking for one of the elusive metals. And they were finding no luck at it. In short what money they had they either gambled away at her saloon or had to buy supplies. And it seemed like the miners were starting to leave the area. Phoebe was even starting to wonder if she should try and sell her saloon. But since a ranch was coming, she thought better of it.  
  
With a rancher came, ranch hands who would want a drink, blacksmiths, Wells Fargo when the town got big enough or the telegraph and the stage coach and then even general stores. In short a whole town. Phoebe smiled. Yup she would stay right here.  
  
"We were thinking of leaving in two weeks time."  
  
"Two weeks? I thought that you would want to leave sooner?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"We have Monica who will drive the chuck wagon and Joey and me and two cow dogs to work the cattle. We need more." Chandler simply stated.  
  
Phoebe smiled, "I have just the men for you. Stay here and eat your steaks and I will be right back."  
  
While she was gone, Gunther returned with more beer, three steaks and a plate full of vegetables. "Ms. Buffay does not like to eat meat." He explained.  
  
When she returned, she had a man with her. "Gary Larson happens to be the best horse wrangler I have ever seen. I am sure that you could easily use his services. Gary, this is Monica who is the head chef and in charge of the chuck wagon, Joey who is the ramrod and Chandler Bing who know owns the…. What is the ranch's name again?"  
  
"The Four Queens. I got the money from winning a poker game with that hand."  
  
"The Four Queens Ranch."   
  
Phoebe smiled. Gary then extended his hand and shook then each in turn. "Miss Monica, Mr Chandler and Mr Joey."  
  
Just plain Monica, Chandler and Joey. Monica insisted."  
  
"People might take offensive. I mean an ex-slave. Especially when it comes to a white woman."  
  
"Joey and I fought in the Union army against slavery. And Monica was from New York and did not agree with the concept. Do you want a job or not?"  
  
Sure do." Gary replied with a smile.  
  
"Good. The pay is $25 dollars for the cattle drive. And depending on how good you are with the cattle and horses will determine on whether you have a full time job at the ranch. We can discuss your wages for working there later."  
  
"Sir…er Chandler it is a deal!" Gary grinned and then shook Chandler's and Joey's hands.  
  
One more young man named Roy rounded out the group. He really did not want to drive cattle but he got tired of the west and decided to go back east and wanted to have a safe trip there. So he rode with them to Dodge.  
  
  
  
It took them half the time since they only rode on horseback. Monica drove one of the farm wagons that they were going to sell. Well Monica and Chandler who taught her to be on the lookout for everything from the current of a river, not to go against the current when crossing it and how to get up and down the hills. In short he was training her to be a good wagon driver.  
  
By the time they reached there, everyone was ready for some rest and relaxation time. After they rested up a bit, Roy took the next train east, Joey went and started to look for some fun and to let off some steam. Chandler and Gary both went and looked at the different horseflesh and cattle, made some decisions and bought 150 head of cattle and 20 horses. Monica looked around the stores at the different dresses and materials.   
  
Chandler who was buying some more supplies, noticed what she was doing and smiled. Soon after she left the store. He discretly purchased the bolt of cloth she had fingered and a dark blue dress and a straw hat with a dark blue bow around the brim. For Joey he bought him some candy a new belt and a new pair of gloves.  
  
The shopkeeper smiled when he brought them up to be rung up. "Gifts, I presume." The man said.   
  
"Yup." Chandler replied.  
  
"Want some advice from an old man? You can give her all the gifts in the world. But remember it is the little things that she will remember."  
  
"I will keep what you said in mind. Thanks."  
  
Chandler then paid for the purchases. As he was walking out, he saw Gary who grinned at him. Chandler gave a half smile back.  
  
A week later, after recruiting five more people to help, they were on their way. Joey rode front, Chandler rode side as well as three others and two pushed the herd from behind. While Gary was the wrangler or drove the horses. And Monica drove the chuck wagon.   
  
Which everyman was grateful for. They still might have been on the trail and had the same provisions that all trail rides had, but there is something about when a woman prepares food and smiles when she is handing the food that makes the meal more enjoyable, even though she insisted on them washing first.  
  
While on the trail, stories and songs were told around the campfire. While some slept waiting their turn to watch the cattle. From bandits, cattle thieves and animals.  
  
The trip took about a month. And soon across many rivers, up and down many hills, over the endless stretch of plains and being hit by dust storms, downpours that hit them so hard that they hurt. They finally made it home and lost only forty eight cattle. At least they had a hundred and two left.  
  
*****************  
  
Now hopefully the story will get interesting. I do KNOW about how life was back in the old west. I have an AA degree in history and I did see a program on cowboys narrated by Kenny Rodgers on PBS. So I will not be that far off track. 


	3. Central Falls

Thanks for all the reviews folks….  
  
First off, I am not going to try and say that Phoebe is an innocent. So, I will be getting into her past, as well as her sister's. And it will not be Ms. Kitty kind of glamorous. But I will be touching on everything, hopefully, you will see! I mean she owns and runs a saloon. What do you think goes on in a saloon? Try lap dances, gambling, drinking and whoring.   
  
But her place has a bit more of class. In short she will not allow any of her girls to get ruffed up! And instead of the saloon looking dirty and sawdust on the floor or just plain hard dirt floor, which was the way a lot of saloons looked back then, it was kept up fairly nice. IE a scrubbed wooden floor. And cleaned linens.  
  
Most of the time I will have Ross being the rotten one. Well, suffice to say, this time it will be different and you will understand why he is the way he is. He is hiding a dark secret of what happened the night that his wife and son died. I will go into that much later.  
  
Rachel is going to be Rachel. In short after all the letters that she receives from Monica, she goes out west looking for a start on a new life and to try and to find love with a man that is not soft. Or a city fat cat!  
  
Gunther is still Gunther. As well as the others that I eventually incorporate into the story! And I will try to put as many into it as I can!  
  
I was using a bit of leeway when it came to the Alaska Gold strike. It was kind of important for the foundation. I will admit that the date is a bit off. But, I felt that having Ross shanghaied and put on a ship to the Orient would be too cheesy. So I thought that would do.  
  
And relatives would still inherit land as long as they are next in line if the land has deeds on in. If not, then a claim jumper could get it or a person could get the land by filling out a deed. And the land is big enough up in the wild west that a person could ride for days without leaving his or her properties. Remember in the west, it took more land to support cattle. Particularly, if there was very little water or not that much rain fell. And the herds had to be moved more often to prevent overgrazing.  
  
Also remember the west was more about equality than the rest of the US was at that time. In short women were treated with almost the same equality as men. They were in a sense partners when it came to running farms, ranches, and stores. There were even a few women blacksmiths and doctors around. While there were reports of women being beat, the western states were the first to grant women the right to vote.  
  
And another point to remember that the three bonanzas of the west were mining, cattle ranching and farming. The occupation of the west began when the news of the gold and silver strikes started circulating. And the rush began. Then came the ranchers, who did not tame down the west but helped to feed a nation. And the farmers, who were the civilizing influence on the west.   
  
The next part of my fiction deals with the foundations of the town and how it came to being. Hopefully, I will show how a small town or a few buildings became a boomtown almost overnight……  
  
*****************************  
  
The Boomtown: Central Falls  
  
Montana Territory  
  
After a long hard drive they arrived back to the ranch they ended with a hundred and two cattle, a wagon half full of supplies and they now have less than $6,000. So they have to make that stretch, unless Chandler went to gamble again.   
  
While he wanted to, a bit because of him gambling over the years, the dream of owning a ranch was too hard to pass up. It would require more work and a lot of sacrifice by everyone, but it would be worth it. A place where they could putdown roots and have a steady income. Although ranching was a lot like gambling. It depended on the weather and if the herd contracted some disease, you could go bankrupt. But, if a person made a ranch, then that person was respected and looked up to. While a gambler was not thought too highly of. And Chandler wanted to have a family that was proud of him.  
  
Once arriving back, they hired Gary in a permanent position to work at the ranch. He would be sleeping in the extra room or tack room of the barn. And he would get paid $125 a year, (which is a lot folks, considering that the average working man made a hundred) and that included food and board.  
  
His jobs included driving the herd and breaking the horses and seeing to the leather and making sure that the leather had not dried out. Which included everything from saddles, whips and bridles. He also was pretty handy with tools when it came to repair jobs.   
  
And of course they worked on the outside buildings and did the chores that they could not do because of the winter. They re dug the well, for it had gone dry years ago. Fixed the bad places on the roofs, mended the fences and did the other maintaince work. All that in the afternoon after they took care of the cattle during the day.   
  
They had to brand the cattle and move the cattle around from one grazing spot to another. Not to mention round up the wild horses, gelded them and then broke them. They then sold them to the army. Which helped them with their money situation.  
  
While the guys were busy, Monica was busy spring cleaning. She would scrub the floors, wash the windows, clean the laundry and sweep out the attic and the cellar. Getting them as clean as she could. As well as tackling the hated task of cleaning out the chicken coup.  
  
While she was doing that, she also did the cooking, sewing, mending and ironing, and the laundry. So when the guys came home, they were all exhausted.  
  
When they had the chance, they had fun. Like fishing trips, picnics, and the swimming hole. And at night, if they were not too tired, they played music and told stories and read newspapers and wrote letters.  
  
Monica wrote to her family a lot at first, but when they did not answer her back, she gradually stopped, It was Rachel who kept asking her questions on the west. How pretty was it out there? Was there truly more opportunities out there for women than in the east? Were there a lot of good looking men?   
  
Monica had to smile at that part, Rachel would never change. But of course she responded. Truthfully….  
  
************************  
  
New York…..  
  
Eight weeks later  
  
Rachel arrived home from Finishing School. What a boring day! So what if she was to act a certain way if she meets the Queen? As far as Rachel was concerned, she was not going to come over to America and since she did not like boats, she was not going over there!  
  
Soon after she arrived, her father entered from his study. "Rachel, you have a letter from your friend out west."  
  
Rachel almost tore the entire letter in half trying to open it. Leonard Green chuckled and took it from her and sliced it open with a letter opener. He then handed the letter back to Rachel. Who began to read it out loud.  
  
Dear Rachel  
  
I was very happy to have received your letter. I look forward to each and every one of them!   
  
Now to explain to you about the west. It is very beautiful out here. I can not even begin to explain to you how good it looks. Let me just say that there are no buildings where you can not see the stars at night. And that there are so many you can not even count them! And there is so much land and wide open spaces, a person could ride for days on end without seeing anyone. And there is no limit what you could do. The imagination is the limit.  
  
You asked about opportunities. Well let me say yes, there are more things a person can do and the person is not defined by how much money they have but their word and if they keep it. And how good of worker that the person is.   
  
The more a person's hand have work lines on them or are roughed up. The more that the person is thought of as a good worker.  
  
You asked about jobs for women. There are plenty, housekeeping, school teaching, mission work, laundry, store keeper, and a few others that your mom would not like for me to mention. But I will anyway.  
  
Dance hall girl, barkeeper, prostitute and saloon owner. My best friend out here owns and manages her own saloon/bar/hotel. But, while she has girls working for her as waitresses, she does not run a whore house. What the girls do on their own time is their own business. But she dose not allow anything bad to happen to them.  
  
After reading that, Rachel looked up at her father, he had an amused expression on his face. "Please continue."  
  
You asked about the men. The same rule I talked about applies. If that person works hard and keeps his word, that person is thought very highly of. Here anyway. Although are plenty of good looking men out here.  
  
I know in some towns, they have a class system. But since this is a territory. There is too much to do out here than trying to keep up with the newest fashions and who threw the biggest parties.  
  
There is a lot of work, but we do have fun. Berry picking, swimming, fishing, horse riding and many other things to do.  
  
While there are a lot of things to do, we really do not have that big of a town. None really and we still need a doctor. The nearest one is in the town of Helena. Which is two days away. One way.  
  
When he heard that, Leonard Green smiled. "I will leave you to your reading, Rachel. I had better go." He then walked back to his study. Rachel shrugged it off and went up to her room to read the rest of the letter. And to write back.  
  
*******************  
  
When Ross reached Alaska, he found out his folly. (Get it Steward's Folly) There was NO gold laying around. And he had went back on his word. And Monica was stuck with a gambler. But at least it was the younger one and not the older pervert.   
  
Although he probably took her to his bed the first night he found out. Or forced her to marry him. She could be carrying his child right now.  
  
When he had gone to Alaska, he thought that he was going to get rich fast and go back and get his sister and get that debt paid off, but now he knew better. He had to find a job and quick and a place to stay before winter hit. So he took a job as an assistant store clerk and he slept in the store room with a gun to keep people from stealing.  
  
He had to make enough money to get a ticket to get back to San Francisco. And then get another good job to save up the money to get Monica back. Now how was he going to do that? The only thing he knew how to do, besides loosing his money at poker, was reading and writing. By the time he had saved up, her working time could probably have ended. Or she could be married and have a couple of kids. He really goofed up royally, this time.  
  
While there on those cold and lonely nights, he remembered the reason why he came out west.   
  
************  
  
One year ago  
  
New York  
  
Ross and Carol Geller's home.  
  
Ross had been out of town on business for a week. He was suppose to be gone for two more days. He was able to wrap the meeting up earlier, so he decided to surprise his wife and young son. When he opened the door to his bedroom, he was in for the biggest shock of his life. There lay his wife naked with some woman who was also naked in their marriage bed.  
  
Carol sat up with the covers gripped in her hands. "Ross, I was not expecting you home until two days."  
  
"Apparently not." Ross tried to keep his temper down as well as the vile that was rising up in his throat. "How long has this been going on?"  
  
Carol murmured something that Ross did not catch. The woman decided to talk. "There is nothing to be ashamed of Carol." She then ran her hand down Carol's back in a very intimate way. "We have been lovers since we were fifteen."   
  
"Carol? What about us? We are married and have Ben together." Ross's voice was scratchy.  
  
"I am sorry Ross, I do not love you. I was forced into this marriage by my parents after they found out that Susan and I are lovers."  
  
Ross trembled. "but we are married…"  
  
"Ross, I want a divorce. Susan and I are going to remain lovers and raise Ben."  
  
Ross's eyes flashed. "Oh no you are not! When I tell the judge what you prefer to be doing, there is no court in the land that will let you even look at my son, I will make sure of it. Besides father has friends in high places and you will get nothing. No money, no place to live no clothes. I want you out of here in an hour! And you are not to have any contact with Ben before you leave. You are not allowed to see him again."   
  
"No! I can not live without Ben!"  
  
"Pick either him or your lover." Seeing that she said nothing, "Fine then, you made your choice! I want you and your slut out in ten minutes."   
  
Ross then turned around disgusted and walked away. He then walked down to the study to get himself something to drink, only to discover they were out. So he decided to go to a tavern to get a bottle of much needed whisky. After he was sure he heard the front door slam shut, thinking that both Carol and her lover were gone.  
  
When he came back, the house was already up in flames. After the fire, his father who had arrived as soon as Ross got word to him, who convinced the fireman not to go inside, had Susan's body taken by a very trusted employee, out to sea and put into a bag with some rocks and thrown in. Thus everyone but Ross and him knew that it was a regular house fire. But for Susan and Carol it was suicide and they had taken three year old, innocent Ben with them. They were found on the bed in an embrace with Ben between them. And had left a note on the fence ensuring Ross of what really happened.  
  
************  
  
Soon after that, Jack felt that a change of venue was needed. And wherever Ross went, Monica went along or would tag along. Even from the time that they were kids. Except for different things. While Monica went outside to play in her spare time, Ross would go and read for hours on end.   
  
Ross tried everyway together thoughts of his former wife and child off his mind. Whether it be alcohol or women. He found that no matter how hard he tried, in his dreams and when he was alone, he could not help but hear Ben's screams of 'daddy'.  
  
So now he lost Monica as well. Now he had to get her back. But how? He tried to get money from his father, but got no answer, so he figured that his father would no longer help him out. He only hoped Monica had better luck.  
  
*************  
  
Chandler turned out to be a shrewd business man. When he heard of a ranch or farm that was selling their herds or wanted to make extra money, he would go in and buy their cattle. So by the fall, he had over eight hundred cattle. Most of them from purchasing them from neighbors and about one hundred more from them giving birth.  
  
It looked like they were going to go over one thousand four hundred easily by next year. Even if the winter turned out to be hard or if there was a disease that would hit the herd. They should still be all right.  
  
They had so many, they hired on five men. Al, Jim, Aaron, Mike and Sam. They even built a bunkhouse and added on a storehouse where food could be kept and a stove. They got paid each one hundred dollars a year. And that also included food and board. Monica being the cook for them, for lunches anyway. They had to make their own dinners and breakfast.   
  
She had finally got a routine started. Right when she woke up, she would milk the cows, collect the eggs, feed and water the chickens, get the water, and then start on breakfast. Or finish it up. She usually made oatmeal the night before and let it set on the stove overnight, which Chandler bought her in the midsummer. So when it was time for breakfast the next morning, All she had to do, was to toast the bread, set the butter out, set out the coffee, set out the cream and ring for the men to come inside the house to eat. When they set down, she walked around and poured some oatmeal into the bowels and let the men eat from there.  
  
After they left, she cleaned the kitchen which included dishes and wiped down the table and swept the floor. Before leaving to the next job, she would then start the stew. By throwing in some meat and going into the cellar to get the vegetables that she would be using. Carrots, celery, onions and potatoes. She then left to get started on other chores. Like, making cheese, the butter churn and starting on the laundry and hang it out to dry before the mid day sun got over head.   
  
An hour before lunch time, she would come back into the cabin with another bucket of water and start to prepare the lunch. She first stared to make biscuits, and while she let the dough set, she then started to prepare the vegetables. She washed them and peeled them and cut them up and put them into the pot while stirring it. Afterwards, she made crust for a pie and then washed, peeled and then cut up apples. Combined them with brown sugar and cinnamon. Put the crust into two pie pans and the apples in it and then put the rest of the crust on top of them and put them in the Dutch oven by the fireplace. Made the dough into biscuit shapes and put them aside. She put another pot of coffee on and then prepared to go out and get some more water and went and brought some milk in. Wiped down the table and set it. Stirred the stew and put the biscuits in. And went and rang the bell for lunch time.  
  
By the time the men had arrived, after they put up their horses and washed up, lunch was ready. And Monica was putting the biscuits on the table to cool off. But the men were so hungry, they did not care. They just wanted something hot and good in their stomachs.  
  
After they left, Monica started cleaning the dishes and pots and pans. There was noodle since the guys came in hungry. And if there were scraps, she feed them to Rosita and Stevie. After finishing up the kitchen, she would poor Chi-Chi a bowel of warm milk.   
  
The little kitten had grown out and up. And soon enough she was going to be a mother as was Rosita. Joey and Chandler planned to make her puppies all cow dogs. Reason being that Stevie was the father and Rosita was the mother and the puppies would all have good bloodlines. And two milk cows were too. The chickens had hatched their eggs and chicks followed their mothers around the yard. The pig had had babies or piglets. Seeing all the baby animals, made Monica want a baby of her own. She shook off the feeling and would start to get back to her chores.  
  
After the everyday choruses, she had to do the canning, the candle making and other countless other choruses that needed to be done. It seemed to her that there was not enough time in a day to get half of what she wanted done. So if the time came to get away from the ranch for a bit, she would gladly take them up on the offer. Whether it be to go to the store or to go to Helena to get supplies and mail they would get once a month. Except in winter time when they got enough supplies to last for six months at most.   
  
**************  
  
New York  
  
Townhouse  
  
Home of Jack and Judy Geller  
  
Morning  
  
Jack sat reading the paper, he felt bad. Giving Ross the money to go out west and allowing Monica to go with him. But he felt it was the right thing to do at the time. And of course Monica had to go. She always tried to prove herself to gain his and Judy's attention. But the truth was they loved her no matter what.   
  
Now if only they could hear from her to find out if she was okay. All that they got was a telegram saying that she was marrying a gambler and was traveling with him of all things. And that was it, no more messages. Which was strange to say the least.   
  
And it seemed as though Ross had jumped off the face of the earth. He would not even contact him for some needed money. Something was wrong. He hoped that he was still okay. Both Judy and him were nearly sick with worry and hoped for some word about their children.  
  
Judy walked in. "Still no word from either of the kids?" She asked as she sat at the table.  
  
"No, Judy." Jack then sighed. "I am about ready to go to see a detective about trying to find Monica at least."  
  
"It should not be that hard. She married a gambler."  
  
"I am not so sure, Judy. She would have tried to contact us at least once."  
  
"Unless that husband of hers will not let her." Judy sipped her coffee.  
  
"I am still going to look into hiring a detective. Maybe we could get Monica back here where she belongs if she was forced into marrying him."  
  
While they were talking, an employee of Jack and Judy Geller's was listening on the other side of the door and did not look too happy.  
  
***********  
  
Phoebe's saloon was making enough money she decided to expand it a bit. Add some more gambling tables and add more space to make a bigger bar. She even started on a classy hotel and boarding home. She was sure that she would not finish it until sometime next year. But she wanted it started at least.  
  
Phoebe was a self made woman. Anybody could tell it. She had plenty of horse sense and street smarts to know exactly what she wanted, how to get it and what she would have to do to obtain her goal.   
  
Her mother gave birth in a convent in Minnesota. Her mother, who she did not know anything about except that she was a rich socialite who could not be bothered with kids, especially kids that would be the downfall of her and her family. If the truth were to get out a very rich influential family would be ruined. For her mother's brother, a male cousin and their uncle took turns with her. That was what a nun told her before she died.   
  
Her sister Ursula just shrugged it off. She did not care that her mother was raped by virtually all the men of their family. And since they were so high up in society, their mother could tell no one. But when Phoebe and Ursula's grandmother found out, she took a whip to her daughter's back and beat her all the while calling her a slut. So they shipped her off to have the baby. While there, the young woman told what really happened to a young nun, who was her best friend and then relayed on the message to Phoebe and Ursula.   
  
After a while, Ursula ran off to work at an upscale whorehouse in Chicago. She wanted to wear nice clothes and have pretty things. While Phoebe went to work in the hotel as a maid. She cleaned the rooms, made the beds, washed the bed linens and the clothes. At night, she went to work at the local saloon as a singer/barmaid/dancer and even one time fell in love with a local magistrate.   
  
Not caring that he was married. She was convinced that he would leave his wife. Their children were already grown and had children of their own. So he moved her into a nice room at the main hotel and had her as his mistress, banging her anytime he felt like it. She was in love. Having a very nice place to stay, good food, expensive clothes and some spending money. That he would give her as bonuses for all the different stuff she tried. She soon learned stuff from different prostitutes as they explained to her and let her observe what they did to each other and a few times even to her how to do certain things to make a man go wild, and what positions could be used best.  
  
SO everything was going just fine. Until, he was trying to convince member of the town consul to vote a certain way. The man made it clear to vote that way, he wanted three nights with Phoebe. And he could use or abuse her in any way he wanted. Without hesitation, the man slammed his hand down on the counter and pronounced 'DONE!'  
  
That night, he did everything to Phoebe that he could thing of. Phoebe knew she was in trouble when he walked into the room carrying a horse whip, ropes and a gag. That night she was never so humiliated in all her life.   
  
She had begged the man she was in love with not to do this to her or let this happen. But he didn't care about her. He was so turned on, he watched. Not caring about her cries and the torture the man was inflicting on her body. About two in the morning, the man pounded into her in as many ways as he could. As soon as he was done with her, he made her lick him clean.   
  
Later that morning, after the two men had gone, that Phoebe grabbed what money she could get a hold of and left on a stage to San Francisco. But she traded tickets with a young woman and instead went to work in a saloon in Denver. Where she went back to singing, dancing and waiting tables. Now a lot wiser and very leery of men in general.  
  
It wasn't until she met Joey and Chandler did she really make some good male friends. But she was still scared of having a long term relationship with any man.  
  
She then saved up enough money to come out to this place and start her own saloon/hotel. She hired Gunther, on seeing that was another man she trusted as well, as her personal assistant. And assistant manager.  
  
One day, while going over the liquor inventory with Gunther, she looked up and saw that Monica walked in. "Hi, Monica. How are you doing?"  
  
"Is there somewhere we can talk in private? I really need advice from a female right now."  
  
Looking intently at Monica's face. Phoebe smiled and turned to Gunther. "Please continue with the inventory. I will be back as soon as I can."  
  
Phoebe then led Monica to her office and closed the door. Instructed Monica to have a seat and did so herself. "Now what is important?" The next words through her through a loop.  
  
"I want a baby!"  
  
"A baby?"  
  
"I mean a family! You know a husband and children!" Monica sobbed.  
  
"Oh, Monica honey, you know there are plenty of men around here that would be glad to provide both." Phoebe then handed a handkerchief to her friend.   
  
"Most men are too busy trying to get rich. I want a steady, dependable, hardworking man. Who will be willing to make sacrifices for his family. There is no man that would be what I want that is close enough here."  
  
"There is one." Phoebe mussed.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Chandler." Phoebe smiled. Monica looked startled. "Think about it. He is not running after getting rich real fast. And he really likes you."  
  
"But he is Chandler!" Monica stated.  
  
"He would take very good care of you. Think about it."  
  
"Do you even know our history? He won me in a poker game." Monica looked down at the floor.  
  
"Has he taken advantage or forced you in any way?" Phoebe asked already knowing the answer.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then you know he really cares for you."  
  
"I care about him. But only as a friend."  
  
"Monica, are you really sure about that?" Phoebe asked. She knew what she saw. And she saw denial and uncertainty written on her friend's face.  
  
***************  
  
New York  
  
Shipping Yards  
  
Office  
  
Jack was on his way out, when his worker stopped him at the door. "Mr. Geller, here is your mail."  
  
"Thank you, James."  
  
He then took it with him and left. James then took a letter out of his pocket that was dated a month ago from Monica Geller and threw it in the oven. He then closed the door on the stove and went to take Victoria Sailings out on a date. Victoria was a maid of the Geller house and she was stopping mail from Monica as he was stopping mail and wires from her in the office.  
  
Their reasoning: When something would happen to Jack and Judy, they will get the house, business, money and investments.  
  
*******  
  
Earlier that year, Chandler had bought Monica some seeds for vegetables. Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, squash, okra, green beans, green peas, onions, celery, lettuce, turnips and more. So when it came time to pick the harvest, they had plenty of vegetables. And Monica was taught to can and preserve the food. By way of instructions and a book that Chandler got her to go along with the seeds. So they not only had vegetables but also fruits they had gathered from various plants.   
  
Pickles, tomatoes, peppers, green beans and peas were canned. While other vegetables were stored away like carrots, potatoes and onions. The fruits were made into preserves like wild grapes, strawberries, chokeberries and blueberries. Some of the fruits were also canned like blackberries and a few others. While others liker apples were stored away in barrels to wait the long winter that was sure to come. They got to the point anymore that the only food they had to buy was sugar, flour, preserved potatoes, cornmeal, yeast and some other supplies that they could not obtain.  
  
While Chandler and Monica went to Helena to get the supplies, Chandler found out some interesting news. The man who was the REAL owner of the town, started out with the only general store and people were willing to pay what ever price for the goods. Because they did not want to have to drive all the way down to Denver at the time to get supplies.   
  
While waiting for the supplies to be loaded up, Chandler was talking to a well dressed man. The man then looked down at his watch excused himself and left the store. Chandler then went to talk to the clerk.  
  
"Who was that man?"  
  
"Mr. Callings?" The clerk asked. "He owns this store and a few other properties around town. He became rich by building the first general store in these parts and the rest you might say is history." While there, he bought Joey a new pair of gloves and a belt and got Monica a new dress that she was looking at and a hat and some material.  
  
On the way back, Monica noticed that Chandler hardly said any words. Finally she could take it no longer. "On the way to Helena, you could not stop talking, but now, you have hardly said anything. What are you thinking about?"  
  
Chandler halfway smiled. "Nothing."  
  
"Chandler!!!!!!!!!!!!" Monica moaned.  
  
"I will tell you, for a price."  
  
"A price." Monica asked cocking an eyebrow at Chandler.  
  
"A kiss."  
  
Monica huffed and pouted looking away from Chandler.   
  
"Fine then have it your way." Chandler stated and started to ignore her, knowing very well, that Monica would eventually give in.  
  
A little while later, they were setting camp. Monica looked over at Chandler and decided what would one little kiss hurt?  
  
"Fine! I will kiss you. Now tell me what you are thinking?"  
  
"I am going to open a general store right by Phoebe's new hotel." Chandler announced.  
  
"Chandler that is brilliant!" But before she could ramble on, like she usually would do…..she was stopped.  
  
Chandler then smiled and put his finger on Monica's lips to quiet her and leaned down and kissed her. When Monica tried to get away from him after a bit, he deepened the kiss and pulled her tight to him by pulling her towards him with his right hand around her waist while his left held her the back of her neck so she could not get away.  
  
Monica was too astonished to say much, but there was no way she could not stop Chandler from kissing her and she found that she did not want to. Chandler saw this as his dream coming true and could now see a future with Monica looming very near on the future.  
  
When a clasp of thunder was heard, they broke apart and Chandler and Monica quickly covered the supplies of the wagon with a tarp, tied it down and went into the tent to dry off.   
  
When it thundered and lightening, Monica held onto Chandler and dug her face in his chest. From the time of when she was a little girl, she was scared of thunderstorms. And that amazed Chandler and Joey, because that was the only thing she was scared of. They both stayed that way for the whole night while the storm raged, with a blanket Chandler threw over them both.  
  
The store would be started on next year. Before Chandler left Helena, he went and bought up some land opposite of Phoebe's hotels and businesses, she had already bought up the land along the other side where her hotels were at.. He knew one way or another that a town was going to be there. Whether it would stay or it would wind up being a ghost town was another thing entirely.  
  
Once they arrived back at the ranch, they discovered that some missionaries had decided to stay and were trying to get funds together to build a church. The missionaries were Mr. Waltham, his second wife and his daughter, Emily, from his first marriage.  
  
While waiting for the church to be built, they set up a tent and started having services in there. Mr. Waltham dove into everything and anybody, except over indulgence of alcohol. He was tipsy, had a hangover or just drunk when he started preaching. Everybody preferred him drunk or tipsy so that he felt good when he was preaching. But they got blasted if he had a hangover.   
  
Mrs. Waltham was more along the lines of an airhead. But it was not that she was not smart. She just had a problem with opium.  
  
Emily was snobby, but she was the nicest one out of the whole bunch. She never preached to anyone and wanted to open a school up. Since she had a teaching degree.  
  
But sometimes she was a busy body and at times could not stand Monica. And all the attention she got, so she thought of a way to get the attention from her. She would have never done this, except she got mad when Monica stole her partner at the 4th of July dance.  
  
Chandler had volunteered to take her. He got a bath, shaved, and put on his best suit. Before he did, he put down Monica's present on the bed in her new room that he and Joey added on and left the room to get cleaned up.   
  
An hour later, Monica had bolted the door and gotten a bath in the kitchen and went and found the dress and put some undergarments and it on. As well as the hat, shoes and her cloak. She smiled and sent a silent thanks to Chandler for being so thoughtful.  
  
By the time she emerged, Chandler had hitched up the surrey that someone had given him in exchange for a cow. They were then on the way to the dance.   
  
While there, Monica ignored Chandler and danced with every man in the room. And had three dances with Colin, or Emily's beau. And with a doctor that was traveling through by the name of Richard Burke. She even told Chandler that Richard wanted to take her home. Chandler didn't say another word, just left and borrowed a horse and rode as fast as he could have out of there.  
  
"What is wrong with him?" Monica wondered aloud.  
  
"You really have to ask?" Emily frowned at her. "First off he took you to the dance, second, you would NOT dance with him and thirdly, you want someone else to take you home."  
  
"I…."  
  
"You are acting like a slut. Not caring about his feelings at all." Emily then turned around and walked away. She would get revenge for not only her but Chandler as well. He was too nice a guy to have this happen to him.  
  
The next Sunday, Mr. Waltham was not drunk or tipsy he had a slight hangover and was in a ferocious mood. He yelled down eternal damnation on prostitutes, harlots and the like. Emily had convinced her father to preach about this last night. And made sure that he would not drink after a certain time. So that he would have a major hangover the next day. And thus rant and rave brimstone.  
  
He then stated that any unmarried woman that shared a room with a man was nothing but a low class whore. Monica knew he was talking about her and Chandler knew something had to be done to counteract this destruction of Monica's character. Finally he had enough, he jump to his feet and yelled that he and Monica were engaged.   
  
"Fine then, no more waiting, you will both get married four Sundays from now! That ought to give Miss Geller enough time together trouser set up and for an engagement party or two to be arranged." He then went back to preaching.   
  
Chandler sat down and shook his head, Monica glared at Chandler and was sure to give him a piece of mind later and Emily smiled smugly. Now no man would be after Monica. It wasn't that she did not like Monica, It was that she felt that Monica was asking for trouble flirting with the whole territory. And she knew that Chandler really liked Monica, and he would be good to her.   
  
On the way back, Joey rode on ahead while Chandler and Monica rode in the surrey. Monica was yelling at Chandler for goofing up so royally.   
  
"What did you think you were doing?" Monica was in the middle of a tirade that had started as soon as they were out of hearing distance from the town.  
  
Finally chandler stopped the horse. "Trying to salvage your reputation. I mean everyone knows that you are a major flirt, and I have overheard some of the men talking as well as Joey at the saloon about you and it is none too flattering. So you might want to take me up on my offer. Then the talking will stop."  
  
"Fine, but know this, you will not touch me or anything else. We will marry only in name and in three years, I want a divorce."  
  
Chandler sighed and looked sadly ahead, "Fine. We have a deal." He then flicked the reins and the horse moved home.  
  
Over the nest three weeks, Emily, Mrs. Waltham, Phoebe, Susie Moss, Bonnie Jacobs, Ellen Radcliff (who all three worked for Phoebe), Jenny Stevens whose husband was a prospector, and Monica all worked on her wedding dress and bed linens, blankets and other items.   
  
They also planned and had an engagement party for both Chandler and Monica, where people brought them gifts they could use during their marriage, which included a set of pewter dishes that Phoebe gave to them, Gary made a rocking chair and Joey made a baby cradle. Then there was a bridal shower given by the ladies. The ladies gave her home made baby clothes, bibs, blankets, and a hat. Phoebe and her girls even gave Monica some nightclothes that left little to the imagination. Monica was embarrassed and felt bad, considering that Chandler and her agreed to divorce in two years time.  
  
  
  
Soon enough, they were standing in front of everyone repeating their vows. And then afterward, there was the wedding feast at Phoebe's new hotel/boarding house that she had finally decided to finish before the snows started. Everybody brought food and drink with them. And Mrs. Waltham made a cake.   
  
That night at the cabin. Joey had moved his stuff to the bunkhouse with the other guys to give the newly weds some privacy. Giving Chandler some hints and nudges of what he and Monica could do together that night.   
  
"Monica I am sorry, But I could not allow him to go on about you like that." Chandler had repeated that apology for four weeks now. By now Monica had forgiven him.  
  
"That is ok Chandler. But you do KNOW that this is not a real marriage. In two years, I will be going back east." Monica stated. Chandler stood there at the door with a very determined look on his face.   
  
Monica then turned and went to the other room and got into bed. Chandler went into grab some clothes, when he saw Monica nestled there, he decided on a course of action. He took off his clothes and shut the door. Then he walked over to the bed, intending to make this a marriage in every sense of the word.  
  
After she went to bed, she felt Chandler's hand on her shoulder pulling her to him and his mouth clamp down on hers. He then ripped the night gown she was wearing off her body and started to make sure they would consummate their marriage.  
  
The next day, Monica was sore, since that was the first time she had been with a man. Tired and sore, he would not let her rest.   
  
That night Monica had had it. He had no right to do that. And she was going to let Chandler know a couple of things as well.   
  
"Since the marriage is validated, you will not touch me again, got that!." She went over and into her room and bolted the door and walked to the other side of the room. Just in time to get away from Chandler kicking the door open.  
  
He was over at her side in no time flat and kissed her hard. Monica pulled away from him and slapped him hard across the face. Chandler then threw her on the bed, all the while saying. "I will never hit you or hurt you in any way shape or form. I only want to and will make you happy any way I can." He then started to kiss her and soon, they were having a repeat of last night's encounter.  
  
Over the next couple of days, Monica got used to Chandler so much, she nearly ached for his touch. Just the thought of him sent her imagination into overdrive. When they were alone and sure no one was around, they were intimate with each other.   
  
On top of the kitchen table, when Chandler had entered to get something to drink, when he saw that Monica was doing nothing and had just finished cleaning up after lunch, he pushed her back on the table. One time when she had bent over the table to grab a dish, Chandler pushed her dress up and pulled down her pants and undid his gun belt and took her. Four times in the barn up in the hayloft, once up against the side of the barn and numerous other places. It was a real marriage all in all. Two months later in October, Monica found out that she was expecting. So the baby would be born in April. Which was no surprise really for how close they had become.   
  
*****************  
  
New York  
  
Late November  
  
Jack arrived at the Green residence. He was going over more often because Leonard and Saundra would argue more often than not. And he and Leonard would go into the study to talk about anything and everything. Just so that Leonard would not have to spend time with or alone with his wife.   
  
They had moved into separate rooms and were now living separate lives. She with all her society friends and parties and he with all his friends at the race track and the billiard rooms. The only bright part of his family life was his daughter Rachel, the youngest, Jill was always so sick that she barley left the room so he would always try and stop by and see her, but since she had TB she was not expected to live that long. The other was so much like her mother that they never got along.  
  
After he was let in, he was shown to the sitting room and told to take a seat. The butler went and got Leonard. While waiting Rachel walked in.  
  
"Mr. Geller, hi." Rachel stated weakly. She could not understand a man's indifference to his children. She had once thought better of Jack Geller, but now, she really did not know.  
  
Jack smiled at his daughter's best friend. "Hi Rachel."  
  
Just then Leonard entered. "Hi Jack! Rachel, you got another letter from Monica. It was sent late June." Leonard then handed Rachel a letter.  
  
"Monica sent you a letter, but she has not sent one to me or her mother! We have not heard from her for two years now!" Jack asked astonished.  
  
"She said in her last letter that she gave up writing to you because she never heard back."  
  
"What? We never got one of her letters!"  
  
"Let me go and get the letters she sent to me." Rachel, who as well as the others realized that someone had been holding back the letters, ran to her room to get the letters. In half an hour, Jack had finished reading the letters and sat down with a strange look on his face.   
  
"I am going out west to get my little girl back. But I will have to wait until next spring. Leonard, could you and Rachel come with me back to the house. I want to show Judy the letters."  
  
One hour later, Judy was crying after she read the letters. "My little girl! Who knows what that awful man has done to her or forced her to do?"  
  
"According to the letters, it sounds like he happens to be a good man." Leonard tried to diffuse the situation.  
  
"What do you know? Your daughter is not out there!"  
  
"Maybe so Judy. But we have a bigger problem. Who has been stopping those letters and telegrams from reaching us?" Jack wanted to know.  
  
"Jack, Judy I am going to go out west. They need a doctor and well, I have had it with New York and I feel that I could help out much better out there. So I will see for myself if Monica needs or wants to come back." Leonard stated.  
  
"What? Daddy!"  
  
"Rachel, I am sorry, I do not like it around here. And your mother's marriage and mine is no more. So, we are going to get a divorce. She will have the house and a few other properties here. But I want to go out west where I am needed."  
  
"Then I am coming with you!" Rachel decided. There were times when Rachel could be just as stubborn as Monica. The only difference was that while Monica's came naturally, Rachel was from being spoiled way too often. So she was used to getting her way.  
  
"So am I" Jack decided as well.  
  
"I will stay and leave it up to you to decide what needs to be done." Judy decided. "just please make sure that my little girl is in good health and is ok. And if she wants to come back, then get her out of there! Wire me if you need any more money and I will send it to you. While you are gone, I will find out who has been misleading us and have them taken care of."  
  
******************  
  
April  
  
Montana territory  
  
Two events occurred that spring. One the birth of Chandler and Monica's baby. And the other…….The other would have major effects on the inhabitants of the town and the ranch.  
  
Monica lay in her and Chandler's room panting and in great pain. Letting words fly out of her mouth that she heard the ranch hands use and screaming in pain. She would never have thought that she would be the one using them. And putting Chandler's name in among them.   
  
While making the baby was great after the first initial pain, trying to push out something the size of a cannon ball out was not. As far as she was concerned, she hoped Chandler enjoyed his time with her over the past nine months, because he was never going to touch her again.  
  
Who was she kidding, the only way to keep Chandler from touching her was to geld him. Hmmmmm…now that idea had merit, she….. Monica screamed aloud again. That kid wanted out.  
  
"Alright, Monica, you are so close, now push!" Phoebe, Emily and Mrs. Waltham were there. Dr Burke left soon after Chandler announced they were getting married. So Phoebe was the midwife. Mrs. Waltham had also helped with some births as well, and Emily also wanted to help in any way she could.  
  
Phoebe positioned herself at the bottom of the bed, Emily and Mrs. Waltham both held her hands and helped her sit up so that she was crouched at the bottom of the bed so the baby could come out easier for both Mother and child. Finally the next contraction started, Phoebe yelled for her to push. Monica closed her eyes, she could only yell out something indescribable and Phoebe then helped to guide the baby out while Emily and her stepmother were encouraging Monica to continue. Finally after one last yell from Monica a baby's screams filled the air.   
  
Outside in the kitchen, Chandler was standing there with the ranch hands. "I'm a dad! I'm a dad?" Chandler's eyes went back into his head and he fainted.  
  
"Poor lad. Well he is lucky he has his Uncle Joey to look up to." Joey stated as he walked over to his friend.   
  
After a bit, Emily emerged from the door. "Monica just gave birth to the most beautiful boy that I have ever seen. He…" She stopped talking looking at Chandler and shook her head. "I will not feel sorry for him in any way. With all that work his poor wife had to do."  
  
"A boy? I h-have a son?" Chandler had some how come around.  
  
"Yes, and you had better go and see your wife." Phoebe stated as she walked out of the room. "She is done being cleaned up now." He ran in when Mrs. Waltham had walked out.   
  
"Monica?" he did not know what to say. His wife was wearing a pained expression and was nursing their son. He had learned a long time ago never to say too much if she had a certain look on her face much like the look she was wearing now.  
  
"Had a lot of 'fun' with me over the winter, eh?" Monica was referring to the many times that they were trapped in doors because of bad weather and Chandler and her both kept each other warm and did things to keep from going board. "Well, I hoped you enjoyed 'it'. Because 'it' is never going to….ughhh, he is defiantly YOUR son." Referring to the baby that was latched on tightly to her right breast. "If you can not keep your hands to yourself, then you will move to the bunkhouse, understand?"  
  
Chandler shook his head yes. Muttered sorry and then turned to leave.   
  
"Where are you going? Don't you want to see your son?"  
  
Chandler smiled shyly as he walked over to the bed. "Would you like to get another cover so you could…"   
  
"Chandler, you know how I look with nothing on."  
  
"Well, I…." Monica did not let him finish, she just unhooked her son and passed him to his father.  
  
Chandler smiled happily at his son, that was wrapped in a soft white blanket that the ladies had given her as a bridal gift.   
  
"Hey, buddy. We are going to be great friends and have so much fun together. And we are going to be one happy family." The baby opened his eyes and looked steadily into his father's eyes. Instantly father and son formed a bond that would last a lifetime. Monica just smiled. The sight in front of her made her see that all that pain was worth it.  
  
They decided to name the baby Daniel Joseph Bing. And Joey had made it know that since he was his godson, that he was going to have Daniel down to inherit his half of the ranch after he passed on. Much later on in life.  
  
****************  
  
Four weeks later, Joey followed a trail that a female cow left up into the hills that was about to give birth. He stopped at a stream to get some water for him and the horse, and he saw it…….GOLD!!! He yelped out loud. He and Chandler and Monica were rich!   
  
Within three weeks, he had hired on some miners to mine for the gold from the stream and the mountains that the stream flowed from. And then soon after, he opened a lumber mill, to meet the ever increasing needs of wood that were met. And soon enough was making a huge profit.  
  
Soon enough, word of the strike hit like wildfire. Soon people were coming in to town from all directions. Both of Phoebe's establishments were filled to capacity. She soon made more plans to open another saloon and even a dance hall. So she was soon very rich as well.  
  
Chandler's huge general store that he started was doing a brisk business. He even rented various locations to various people. One to a Pete Becker who opened the first bank, another to Wells Fargo so that the stage and the mail could stop there. He opened a livery stable and feed store. He then even opened a grocery store.   
  
Monica talked Chandler into letting her open a restaurant to serve the miners, who gladly paid $8 each for some home cooked stew, bread and sometimes some bacon and beans. She hired on three other people to work there during the whole day and night, and she came in there only at lunch to make sure everything was running right, while the ranch hands all ate at the bunkhouse with their new cook, Lanky.   
  
And because of the strike, the ranch's profits increased. And Chandler sent Joey and few of the hands to get 10,000 head of cattle, that he bought off of a ranch, using his share of the gold strike that he let Joey buy off of him. While Joey was gone, Chandler watched over the mine, the lumber mill, and the ranch at the same time as well as his other holdings.  
  
After the cattle drive arrived back, Chandler sold the lumber mill to Joey. Thus everything was divided up as this….Joey and Chandler both owned the ranch. Joey owned and ran the mine and the lumber mill, Chandler owned the general store, the livery stable, and the feed store as well as some rental properties. Phoebe had built a boarding house. A grand hotel, and two saloons. So they were the richest people in the town.   
  
That was how the town looked when four people emerged off the stage from a long, hard trip……..  
  
*********************  
  
Now, I wonder who they could all be? What do you think will happen next? Read and review and I will tell….hehehehehehehe 


	4. Boomtown

Picks up where the last story was at, only a few months earlier. It explains a bit of what happened. Hope you enjoy.. Now on with the show…er read.  
  
  
  
And please review! Am getting tired of seeing no reviews.  
  
*********************  
  
Joey stared at the rock in his hand. Then he started to dance around . He felt great, he felt like he could fly! This was just what the doctor ordered!  
  
The gold strike was just what they needed! There was not that much more money left. Only $348. And with what he found, there was sure to be enough.   
  
Joey forgot about the cow and quickly got on his horse and turned the horse toward the southeast. He was careful at first trying to get the horse down the mountain as quickly as possible, but when he was on hilly region, he forced the horse into a trout and when they got on more level ground a full gallop.  
  
Once he arrived at the house, he and the horse were out of breath. The horse stumbled over to the watering trough. Gary swore at Joey and took the horse to slowly work and to rub him down so that the horse would not get sick after running that fast and ending up drinking as fast it could. Thus, leading to it's death.  
  
Joey paid no attention, but ran into the cabin screaming for Chandler. Monica who had finished washing the floor, was perturbed to say the least.  
  
"JOEY! I just finished with the floor!" She had a hold of Daniel.  
  
"Chandler, CHANDLER! Come quick!" Joey screamed out he was jumping around and getting dirt and mud all over Monica's once clean floor.  
  
"Poor, Daniel. I KNEW that sometime that your Uncle Joey would be mad as a march hare. I just did not expect it to be this soon." Monica then kissed her son's head.  
  
Chandler came out of the bedroom, he had spent the morning with the log book and was not very happy with what he saw, and his mood was no better. "Joey I do not have time for games."  
  
"I think you will like this one." Joey then showed him the nugget. Chandler took it from him. "So what do you think? Like my little game now?"  
  
"Where did you get this? Never mind, do not tell me right now. Bolt both of the doors and close and lock all the windows. We are going to discuss this, quietly." Once every door was bolted and every window closed and Chandler had struck a match and a lamp was lighted, Chandler and the others looked at it, closely. Monica gasped at what she saw and Chandler concentrated hard at the metal.  
  
"Is that what I think it is? Monica asked in a low whisper.  
  
Joey grinned and proudly added. "Yup, and I am the one who found it."  
  
"I do not know if it is what we think it is. It may be pyrite. And the question is where exactly did you find it?" Chandler asked slowly and quietly.  
  
"You really think it might be fool's gold?" Joey asked a little too loudly.  
  
"Shhhhh…I am going to go to Helena in a bit and get more supplies. I will find out there." Chandler stated. Hoping no one heard what was said.  
  
**********  
  
Three days later, Chandler walked out of the general store's main office. He was stunned. But made a huge attempt to show no emotion on his face. So that no one could guess what had just transpired. So that they could start mining and hopefully make a huge strike.  
  
He had talked with Mr. Collins. Who had an eye for the metals, so that he looked at it, and confirmed that it was in fact gold. Chandler was then given quite a bit of money, $1648. And he also got to load up the entire wagon for supplies and headed back home.   
  
One he arrived there, he met Joey and Monica in the cabin and informed both of them that it was in fact what they suspected all along. And they decided not to tell anyone. Joey did tell Phoebe though. And they all went on about the business of living and starting to build more things.  
  
Chandler was busy building the general store and Phoebe was busy putting in a new saloon and dance hall. The general store, was going to be as big as he could make it. During which time, he had his ranch hands start building a house for Monica. He felt that she deserved the best that he could give her. With enough goods to see the entire town through a while. As Phoebe was building the dancing hall and saloon, she was hiring on new girls. And had built a huge dance hall and a restaurant to go with it.  
  
Soon after Phoebe opened her new saloon and Chandler opened his store, the word somehow got out. And the rush was on. People from all over the country came to Central Falls to try and get rich real fast. They had to quickly set up a town council and hire on a town Marshal. They hired a man by the name of Paul Stevens for that.   
  
Paul had come out west with his young teenage daughter Elizabeth, to get a new start. His wife had given birth to his son when Elizabeth was eight years of age. And the son didn't live very long, but neither did she. She died soon after she gave birth, the boy soon joined his mother three days later. Paul decided to head out west to get rid of his bad memories.   
  
Unlike Ross, he had his daughter he was concerned about, and would take job being a town marshal or sheriff. But he would never stay in the same place for a while. But he was there for his little girl and did not take part in poker games and drink. He was determined to be a good father.  
  
The council met every week in the hotel dining room. The council consisted of Mr. Waltham, Chandler, Joey, Gunther and one other.  
  
They would also meet for other important meetings as well. To decide what was going to happen about the town. They put up a sewage system. And met for some other trivial concerns.   
  
One time. Mr. Waltham decided to bring up a certain matter.  
  
"I would like to bring up the matter of the gambling and dancing halls again."  
  
"Oh no, not again!" Gunther muttered. HE was really representing Phoebe and the town merchants/ Chandler was representing the ranchers and the property owners and Joey the lumber and mining operations. While the other man just basically snored away.   
  
"Well, if we get rid of the saloons and dance halls and gambling establishments, then I say the alcohol must go as well." Chandler committed. Wrinkling his nose. Why did he have to show up drunk every time and bring a whiskey bottle as well. He would empty it before the meeting was less than half over. Every time.  
  
"Well, I think I renew my suggestion. I mean I have to something to preach about Sunday." And that ended that session.  
  
While all that was going on, the tents that were erected were being built into houses and soon enough, the town was taking shape. Soon, there were three general stores (two of which were Chandler's) A wagon shop, a livery stable, a feed store a grocery store, a blacksmith, a Wells Fargo station, a gun smith and a gun store, a bank, and a jail. And there was a hotel/boarding house and three saloons.   
  
But also to add to the may ham. A woman who looked just like Phoebe arrived in town and set up a whorehouse. In short Ursula had arrived. She and her five girls were very busy keeping the miners and ranchers busy as well. And helping to rid them of their money and gold.  
  
So for Paul Stevens, there was so much for him to do, that Emily had to watch his little girl when he was away and working and that was happening a lot lately. Between him serving notices which could sometimes take as long as three to five days at a time, stopping fights, and locking the drunks away for disturbing the peace and having them sleep off their drink, there was always a lot to do.   
  
He then got to the point of where he had to ask for help from the town magistrates. He ended up getting two deputy marshals. By that time, they had built a good jail and soon had a good hand on the populace.  
  
One of the jobs that he hated to do the most was to enforce the death penalty. Or to hang someone. HE had to do that to two horse thrives and to a Robert Stevens who murdered his wife Jennifer Stevens. Or Monica's friend.   
  
Monica and the others tried to talk her into getting away from her husband and his abusive nature. But she would not, she loved him too much. And soon after giving birth to their daughter, he beat her so badly that she was left to die in her own blood. Because she was too weak and tired to fix the supper that night.  
  
She was buried on the hill overlooking the town. And Emily's parents adopted the little baby girl and were determined to raise her. Mrs. Waltham, finding some one so dependant on her, stopped taking opium. And he husband cut down a bit on his drinking.  
  
Everyone showed up for the hanging and no one felt any pity as Paul slapped the horse's rear end and left the man hanging from the tree.  
  
Before he did, Mr. Waltham read from the good book, damning the man to hell. That was the last thing that the man heard as the horse was run from out under him.  
  
After that, Monica who had angered Chandler so much over the past couple of months, could see just how good she had it. He never once lost his temper and never once had he lifted a finger toward her. That night she showed just how grateful she was.  
  
One month later  
  
Montana Territory  
  
Late July  
  
Two men, a woman and a young girl stepped off the stage that had stopped in front of the Wells Fargo office. The group walked up to a man wearing a badge and asked for some help.  
  
"Excuse me Marshal….."  
  
"Marshal Paul Stevens." The man smiled.   
  
"Where would be a good place to find a room to stay in?" One of the men asked.  
  
"A place that a PROPER young lady will be able to stay." The older woman who Paul took to be the mother asked.  
  
"Depends, do you want a hotel or a boarding house? Since you said no about the saloon."  
  
"Well, for me and my daughter, the boarding house will be fine, but I need to find a place where I can set up shop. I am a doctor. Dr. Leonard Green." He then presented his hand to shake. The marshal was then pumped his hand hard and fast.  
  
"We needed a doctor for some time." He then took his gun out of the holster and shot it up in the air. Which surprised and shocked all four of the people there. "Meeting at Phoebe's Hotel in an hour! I got an announcement!" He then turned to some men, "Go and tell everyone around town that there is a meeting to take place. Everybody else can find out by word of mouth."  
  
The young girl came forward, "Uh, do you know a Monica Geller? She is a good friend of mine and we have come out west to look for her. I got a letter that says she is in Central Bluffs."  
  
The marshal smiled at the pretty young girl, just a few years older than his Elizabeth. "I know her, she will be at the meeting."  
  
"How do you know?" The man asked.  
  
"She is in town, I just saw her walk by, no more than ten minutes ago, to go and visit Phoebe."  
  
"How is she?" The older woman asked.  
  
"She looked well and happy, if not a little tired."  
  
"How much do they work Monica Geller?" Leonard Green asked.  
  
"Not Geller anymore, Bing."  
  
"Bing?" Leonard Green asked. While the other man and the older lady exchanged looks.  
  
"Her married name. She married a rancher by the name of Chandler Bing. He is a rancher that lives a bit out of town. He also owns the general store and a few other buildings and rental properties."  
  
The other man looked around. "It is crowded for a sleepy small town."  
  
"It stopped being sleepy three months ago when gold was discovered on Chandler and Joey's property." Paul stated. "Would you like to be shown to the hotel and boardinghouse? Maybe even meet Phoebe? She is a sweetheart. You could get your rooms and at least get your bags in them and prepare to meet the town."  
  
He then took them on a tour while they walked to the hotel. "As you can see most of the buildings are little more than tents thrown up, until we get some lumber and find some men who would be willing to build. Hopefully before winter strikes. Most are out mining for the metal."   
  
They then entered the hotel. "Gunther go and get Phoebe and Mrs. Bing."  
  
"Chandler is with them as well. He came into town to see about getting some more supplies brought up from Helena. The truth is, he is about ready to send some of the ranch hands to Dodge City to get the supplies. Keeps saying they cost too much."  
  
"And his don't? Get him too. He will want to be here."  
  
Gunther left and soon enough Monica who was holding a baby, Phoebe and Chandler stood there. As soon as she saw her parents there, her breath caught. And she gripped the baby closer to her.  
  
"Mom, dad?" She asked weakly.  
  
"Honey, could we talk someplace?" The woman asked.  
  
"My office is about as private as you can get." Phoebe offered them.  
  
"Phoebe this is Dr. Leonard Green, he is going to be our new town doctor." Paul Stevens said.  
  
"Really, great! Because I only know very limited medical practices."   
  
They continued to discuss what they both knew. And Leonard Green found himself a midwife in Phoebe and Phoebe found a doctor that they have needed for so long. So it looked as though that no one would have to go all the way to Helena to get a doctor. But it did look like Leonard Green would be very busy.  
  
Monica walked back to the office with Chandler and her parents following them. Once they closed the door, Monica asked them a question that she had to know the answer to. "Why didn't you answer my letters?"  
  
"Mon, we never got them." Jack explained to her.  
  
"What? I sent them."  
  
"Two ex employees destroyed the letters and what ever else they could to keep us from getting word about you and your brother. Where is he by the way?"  
  
Monica looked at Chandler and they both told the story of what happened. After the story was over, it was evident that Judy and Jack did not know what to think.   
  
"Are you happy?" Judy asked her daughter.  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"Can I hold my grandson?" Judy asked. Without a word Monica handed her Daniel. "What did you name him?"  
  
"Daniel Joseph Bing."   
  
"That is a good, strong name that you gave my grandson." Jack held Daniel's hand. "Thank you for watching over my grandson and my little girl."  
  
"It is my pleasure sir."  
  
"Please call me Jack.. And welcome to the family. Do you need any money?"   
  
Chandler shook his head. "Nope, I am doing fine for me and my family."  
  
"Well, if you need any, let me know."  
  
During that time, Monica and her mother were silently talking in the corner of the room together and grinning over Daniel.  
  
"Are you truly happy, dear?" Judy asked concerned about her daughter and grandson.  
  
"Very. Chandler is very patient and never has raised his voice towards me in any way. And he loves to help with Daniel. He is the best father and husband a woman could ask for."  
  
"That is good, Monica."  
  
"Also, I think I may be pregnant again." Monica blushed and looked at the floor.  
  
"My little girl a a mother and all grown up. I am so proud of you!"  
  
"Really?"  
  
Judy did not respond. Instead she hugged her daughter. At least she was happy in the knowledge of where her daughter was and that she was safe and happy.  
  
A while later, a lot of the town was in the hotel restaurant and Paul was introducing the new doctor. Everyone was extremely happy. They organized a building committee to erect a doctor's office for him. And Phoebe and Chandler even donated stuff that he would need. Chandler donated medicines, while Phoebe donated furniture.  
  
***********************  
  
San Francisco   
  
Ross stepped off the plank and then walked toward the men who were arguing over the noise to try and get people to go to Alaska.  
  
"There is NO gold up there lining the streets and it is NO environment for men or beasts! I KNOW I just came from there!" Satisfied he turned around and walked out of there. Determined to get a job and get his little sister away from that horrible man.  
  
But the question was what was he going to do? He had noo idea how to work at a hard job that required him to get his hands dirty. The best he could do was to see if someone needed something to do with accountant or a manager. Maybe he could get hired on like that.  
  
*****************  
  
What job will Ross find? What will happen next? Do you even care? Review if you do! 


	5. Insight

Disclaimer…..do not own Friends, etc……..I know That I have forgotten that. But it is SO obvious. DUH!!!!!  
  
In this story, It is mainly just Rachel's thought on the west and what she sees and feels. Hope you like.  
  
And BTW: if anyone says anything or whines about who she gets with. Remember this, that is NOT how it will be at the end of Friends. So take it or leave it.  
  
******************************  
  
Rachel looked around the hotel dining room. Judy and Jack Geller were catching up with Monica and getting to know Chandler. It seemed as though they really like Chandler. Particularly Jack Geller did. Judy seemed a bit, well… standoffish. Probably thinking him as a rough individual with no manners.   
  
While he looked strong and a bit rough around the edges, he was polite and had plenty of manners. Just like her dream man. He was not afraid of work, according to his hands. Which showed that they were a bit rough with all the work he had to do. And his skin was tanned also from working outside. His light brown hair was a bit long just above the nape of his neck. And his light blue eyes danced in the light. He happened to be smart, witty and funny. No wonder Monica married him! He was gorgeous!  
  
Her father was getting introduced to the different people around the town. Everyone from the Waltham's and their two daughters to all the different people that could be rounded up. He was even telling them that he planned to build an office hopefully soon. And maybe someday a clinic. Phoebe Buffay then offered to contribute the furniture he would need, as did Chandler who told him that he would get free medical supplies.  
  
After a bit she got bored and decided to take a tour of the town. She wanted to explore every knock and cranny around the territory. But would settle with looking around the town today. She went outside and stood on the porch and looked around. Where to begin at? There were eight buildings on one side and five on the other and just as many being erected. And over thirty tents. She then looked across the street and knew.  
  
She then crossed the street. Carefully dodging horses, people, mud and other undesirables. Finally, after arriving at the Wells-Fargo stage depot and telegraph office, she sent a cable to her mother who know lived on Long Island telling her that she made it safe and sound. It was the least that she could do.   
  
The reason why they did not go out west right away, was that her youngest sister, Jill had finally passed away because of TB. She had fought it since she was a small baby. And her parents decided to sell the house. They could not live there anymore. Not to mention, decided to get a divorce. But that had been coming on for sometime now.   
  
That was about the only thing her mother and father agreed on. Her mother went to live on Long Island at the house there. And her father went to live out west. Her mother wanted high society and her father wanted to be a real doctor. Where he would be needed. Her other sister was too much like her mother and stayed with her. While she decided to go out west and see if what Monica had said in her letters was true.  
  
So far, they have been. Big, open country. The women had just as much to say as the men and a lot of them looked to be smart and intelligent at what they did. And they were not though of as delicate females and told that they couldn't do certain things because they were females.   
  
As soon as she was done with the depot, she stepped up on the porch that lead to the general store and walked inside. The sight that awaited her was something that she would never forget.  
  
The store was not as big as those in New York. But, it held everything that the people would need. From mining equipment like pick axes, shovels and pans to food to tools to lanterns and material. In short it was doing well. As determined by how busy the three employees were.  
  
The inside of the store which was a rectangle, was pretty wide with a lot of shelves and bins in it. It had two counters that ran the length of the long, and so they had on them a lot of different assortment of goods. Near the back of the store, a black potbellied stove stood, complete with a bench behind it and in front of it, two chairs stood around a table where a checker board was set up and two men were busy playing a game.   
  
The counter on the left side held a register and the candy and two scales to weigh goods and there were bots of cloth, clothes, lanterns, lantern oil and candles. While the one on the right held other items such as food another huge scale, a coffee grinder, and other food. Two of the clerks waited on the customers behind the counters.  
  
Back east, the people had plenty to choose from. But here, all the tools were the same as was the material just different colors. The shoes and boots were made by the same company. As were the pants, and shirts and coats. There were really no dresses of any kind. Just material to make dresses.   
  
She did notice, that a lot of the women wore pants around this area. Probably saving their dresses or Sunday best for church. IF they did even have church. She did not see one. But then again, they might have it in one of the tents that was up or on the floor of the one of the buildings that was being erected.  
  
As she looked around, she noticed that the prices were high. Way too high. But the people did not seem to mind. They were busy trying to strike it rich.  
  
"May I help you, Miss?"  
  
"Rachel Green. And no thanks, I am just looking." the young man then turned away. "Wait? Is this all you have in clothes? What about dresses?"  
  
"Women around here make the dresses if they are clever enough with a needle. If not then they pay to have made if they can find a seamstress to make them a dress or pants suffice."  
  
"What if I was to make some dresses, would the owner of the store buy them to sell?" Rachel was taught fancy sewing and crouching and knitting at the college back east for women.  
  
"I don't know. You would have to take it up with the owner."  
  
"What is the owner's name?"  
  
"Chandler Bing."  
  
"Really?" Rachel smiled. He might be willing since she and Monica were friends.  
  
"But let me give you a piece of advice, it might be better if you opened your own shop for that. We do not have a clothes store here."  
  
"I see. Thank you." Rachel then walked up to the counter and bought some licorice. And went outside to explore her surroundings more and to think about what the man just said. Eating or chewing the licorice while deep in thought.  
  
She then walked down the street. On the other side, there was a blacksmith's shop next to a wagon shop and livery stable. On this side as she walked down, she saw a saloon. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Proper young ladies were not suppose to enter this den of iniquity.  
  
The saloon had a front desk with cubby holes where the keys for the different rooms were at. That was at the landing right in front and right by the stairs that led up to the rooms. A man with blond hair stood behind the desk and looked at the log book.  
  
"May I help you?" He asked as he looked up.  
  
"Uh, just new in town trying to see what there is around here." Rachel then went to the right into the next room. This was where the bar was at as well as the piano and four card tables. At one of the regular food tables, three women sat eating lunch and talking. At the bar a woman stood and talked quietly with a man who was washing glasses.   
  
She then looked over and saw her. And looked at her clothes, which were probably a dead giveaway of where Rachel was from.  
  
"Nice clothes, new aren't they?" She then walked over and took the cigarette out of her mouth and inspected Rachel's clothes. " How much?"  
  
"What?" Rachel asked.   
  
"I will pay you for them." The woman then blew some smoke up in the air.   
  
"You want to buy my clothes?" The clothes she had on were not the most up to date clothes, but that was why she wore them. She had to travel and did not want her good ones to get damaged.  
  
"I need some new ones." The woman was circling her looking at the clothes, measuring them up in her head and determining what needed to be let out and what she could cut away. "I mean I would have to let out a bit here and there and redesign them, but that wouldn't be too hard. What do you say?" The other women had stopped what they were doing and looked over at them.  
  
"Under one condition."  
  
"And what is that?" The woman then crossed her arms.  
  
"Do you have any dresses or pants that I could fit into?"  
  
The woman then smiled, "I believe I can take care of that." She then led her into her office and went to get a change of clothes for Rachel. Ten minutes later, Rachel walked out with a leather skirt and a white shirt and a jacket. Not to mention a hat.  
  
"You look different.." The woman said.  
  
"Good or bad?"  
  
"Good, I think. You no longer look like a dandy."  
  
Rachel smiled, "Really? Thanks."  
  
The woman then paid her for the dress. "You're welcome. Now, since you are new, let me give you some advice. Stay away from this building three hours before sunset or better yet four. You do not want to be in here during that time. Alone anyway. And the next two buildings are the gambling hall and the dance hall. Stay clear of them. As well as the three across the street. Those men are out for one thing and one thing only. Understand? And the last building down the street is the whorehouse. I think you understand about that one."  
  
"Thanks for the advice. I will keep it in mind." She then smiled and walked out.  
  
Rachel decided to take her advice and walked over to the corral to look at the horses. The corral was not too far from the feed store.   
  
The paddock held six horses in it. Three were standing next to each other, another was showing off by running around another was sulking far away from the others and another was clearly in heat.  
  
"The one that is standing by the two right there is going to foal soon. " Rachel turned and looked at the owner of the voice. A man, who looked to be Italian stood there watching them with her. He looked to be about the same age as Chandler. Only he was shorter had black hair and dark brown eyes. His hands were also rough and he had a tan as well.  
  
"Which one is yours?" Rachel asked.  
  
"They all are."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, they belong to me and my partner."  
  
"Really who is he?"  
  
"You must be new around here."  
  
"That is all I have gotten all day."  
  
"Joey Tribbianni." Joey extended his hand. Rachel shook it.  
  
"Rachel Green. You still did not say your partner's name."  
  
"Chandler Bing."  
  
"Chandler Bing? You'd think that her owns the town."  
  
"Try half of it."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And who owns the other half?" Rachel asked teasing.  
  
"Phoebe Buffay. She owns the saloons, the dance hall, the gambling hall and the boarding house and hotel." Joey answered. Looking over at Rachel and surveying her.  
  
"Wow." Monica was right, women can do a lot more out here. Like own and manage property.   
  
"Hey, where are you from?" Joey wanted to know.  
  
"New York City."  
  
"That is where Chandler and I are from."  
  
"Really, you see, Monica…."  
  
"I know who you are. Monica talks about you all the time. Trust me. All good."  
  
"You know Monica that good. Is she happy?"  
  
"Yes she is."  
  
"How do you know her that well?"  
  
"I am Chandler's ranch partner. We all spent a lot of time together. That is why."  
  
"You are a good friend of hers?"  
  
"Yes, and anyone that is a good friend of Monica's is a friend of mine."  
  
"That is good." She started watching the horses again. Noticing that one is totally withdrawn from the others. "What is wrong with him?" She asked pointing.  
  
"He is very temperamental and ski dish. If he does not shape up soon, we are going to have him put down."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"He is too unpredictable. That is why. Someone could easily get hurt."  
  
"Oh, that is to bad."  
  
"Yup, it is."  
  
"Hey, you know this area really well, right?"  
  
"I like to think I do."  
  
"Uh, could you show me this area. I mean not only the town, but also the berry patches and the creeks and the fields?"  
  
"You have been paying attention to those letters that Monica sent you."  
  
"Well…."  
  
"Going up to a perfect stranger and asking them out of the blue like this is not a good idea. What about your reputation."  
  
"You are Monica's friend I trust you and I think my reputation will be in tact."  
  
"We will go with Chandler and Monica when they go for a ride during their picnic this weekend. How does that sound."  
  
"That sounds like you are trying to placate me."  
  
"That is it. Take it or leave it."  
  
"You know of course I will explore this place with or without a guide."  
  
"I kind of guessed. So You might as well have a guide." They shook hands to seal the deal.  
  
That weekend they all met at the ranch house. It was a huge two story ranch house surrounded by trees and on a mesa that was sheltered by some bluffs on the north west side. So that the snow would not be that bad as well as the cold.  
  
Out toward the eastern part of it was a vegetable garden. And out beyond it was a smokehouse and an ice house.   
  
I was greatly surprised when we went in. The house was immaculately kept up, but I expected nothing less from Monica, and it was huge, I could tell that from just the front hall.  
  
The hall had a huge staircase right in the center near the end of it. And it was a rectangular room. To the right the door was closed and the left looked to be a sitting room. The furniture was not elegant by any means but it was well made and just what they needed. There were throws and blankets on the backs of the furniture. Which included two rocking chairs by the fireplace, a padded bench, a few tables, and a few other chairs. There was also a door that was in a far corner. The windows had homemade curtains on them. Monica probably made them herself as well as the afghans and other items here and there. On one of the tables stood a kerosene lamp. And a few candles and scones were on the mantle.  
  
"Mom, Rachel, I want to show you around." Monica smiled as she showed me and Judy who was carrying Daniel. IT seemed that she did not want to stop holding her grandson for fear that she would loose him as well.  
  
Monica then took us on a tour of the house. Starting with the room on the right, which turned out to be Chandler's study. Here he had a desk and chair and another two were right in front of the desk. Back behind the desk was a locked cabinet that he probably kept his guns in.  
  
We then left the room and went through the hall way at the end of it was a door that led to the kitchen. It was a huge kitchen. In the middle of it was an island and it had a fireplace and a cook stove as well. Not too far from the next door was a small square table with four chairs and a rocking chair by the table. And she then showed us another door that led to a huge pantry that we could tell that she was particularly found of. A trap door by the pantry led down to a food cellar and was stocked with plenty of food, enough to see them through winter. The foods that needed to be kept a little cooler were kept down there and the ones that needed to be kept out of the damp and in a dry place were at the pantry.  
  
The next room that she showed us was the formal dining room. It had a rectangular table in it and had six chairs around it. There was also a cabinet that held her pewter dishes.  
  
"Where did you get all of this furniture?" Judy asked.  
  
"Almost all was made right here at the ranch. We have a good carpenter."   
  
"ALL?" I asked astounded.  
  
"Well, the cook stove had to be brought in from Dodge City. Chandler didn't want me to always be bending over the fireplace when I cooked. When he and the others built this house, that was just another surprise for me." Monica then led them us into the sitting room or parlor. "You see, we used to live in a one room cabin. With a blanket to separate my room." Monica shook her head. "Chandler promised me a house during our first week we were married."  
  
Judy was impressed. "Such a nice boy. He has done everything for you that he promised."  
  
"He promised to make me happy and he is doing a good job of it as well."  
  
"Not too many men in New York are like that." Judy committed.  
  
"Try none. That is one of the reasons why I came west." I confided.  
  
"Rachel, please be careful. Not all men are like Chandler. A friend of mine out here was beaten to death by her husband earlier this year." Monica sighed.  
  
"Oh my God!" Judy exclaimed.  
  
"Please tell me something was done!" I pleaded.  
  
"He was hung, after he stood trial. Chandler and Joey were both on the jury."   
  
"Joey?" Judy asked.  
  
"He and Chandler are partners in the ranch." I explained. Seeing the looks on their faces, I thought I ought to explain. "I met Joey in town. He seemed really nice."  
  
Monica then smiled, I noticed the look in her eyes right away. Danged if she wasn't gong to try and play matchmaker. "Yes he is nice. And sweet and trustworthy and very loyal to his friends and his family."  
  
"Oh he has got a family?" I tried to sound disinterested. But I could tell by the looks that Monica and Judy were throwing each other that it was not working.   
  
"He has seven sisters and his mother and father back home in New York City." Monica looked carefully at me. "He is NOT married yet."  
  
"Maybe he has not found the right girl yet." Judy committed.  
  
"Oh, I think he has now. He just doesn't know it yet." Monica grinned looking my way. Yup, she was really up to something.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"I mean I haven't seen how he reacts with her yet, but they are just alike. In a lot of ways." Her eyes glistened. She was up to no good.   
  
Just then Chandler walked into the room, from his study with Jack and dad. "Well ladies if you are ready to go, the surrey awaits." On the way, Monica stopped Chandler and whispered something in his ear. He shook his head and chuckled. "Rachel, since there is room for only five, would you like to ride horseback? Joey will be joining us and riding as well." I looked over at Monica who stood there innocently looking at me. That little sneak! She planned this!  
  
"Uh sure." I looked at Monica and made a face. She just grinned.  
  
A bit later, Joey and I were riding the horses up front of the surrey and talking. I found him fun to talk to and while he was not quick witted as Chandler, he still had some jokes to tell as well as some stories. I decided to tell one of my own.  
  
"Uh, Joey, you do know that Monica is trying to play matchmaker." His face turned into an amused expression.   
  
"I would not doubt it. She keeps telling me to try and to find someone because she thinks that I am too lonely." He shook his head. "She is just like a sister to me. So I can not stay mad at her long."  
  
"Well, she is like one to me as well. So that is also the truth as well."  
  
"Friends?" Joey asked extending his hand.  
  
"Friends." I replied shaking his hand.  
  
We then heard a sigh from behind us. We both looked behind to see Monica shaking her head and Chandler just about to bust a gut laughing.  
  
"Hey, want to see something?" Joey asked.  
  
"You bet!"   
  
"Come on then." Joey and I veered off the trial and went over a rise and stopped right on top of it to look down. Right then and there I felt my heart leap into my throat.   
  
There were hundreds and hundreds of buffalo. And the huge creatures were milling about eating grass and just relaxing in the sun. They went all the way to the horizon.   
  
"They weigh on an average of one ton each." Joey informed me.  
  
"WOW!" I committed. I could not think of anything to say.  
  
"The different tribes hunt these animals for their food, shelter and clothes. They have hunted these animals for ages. They only need to get at least two each to see them through the year."  
  
"Can I see them."  
  
"You already are."  
  
"I mean go up close and touch them."  
  
"NO! They are very wild and would kill you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stomp you to death."  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
"That has happened to many men before, red man or white."  
  
"But I thought you told me they are expert hunters."  
  
"They are, but accidents still happen. Someone could easily get thrown off a horse and there is nothing a person can do in a stampede. The same way with a cattle stampede. And they are the animals that we think we control."  
  
"I have a questions for you."  
  
"Won't the government try and move them off their lands?"  
  
"They already are. And you see these buffalo. One of these days, there is not going to be hardly any left on these plains if any at all." Joey looked hard at the horizon.  
  
"That is too bad."  
  
"Yes it is. Seeing what is to eventually come and knowing that there is little you can do about it." He then decided to change the subject. "Come on, we had better get to the picnic. Monica is an awfully good cook."  
  
"Monica? Monica Geller uh, I mean Bing?" Joey just grinned.   
  
But after lunch, I would have to agree with him. We had roast, potatoes, bread, cheese, lemonade, and apple pie for dessert. Everyone was very happy with what we had.  
  
And later on that night when we went back, I got invited to stay at the ranch house with Monica and her family. While dad went back to town just in case someone needed him. HE was starting to feel more needed and in turn I could see a light in his eyes that had been missing for years.  
  
The room that I was to sleep on was one of eight bedrooms at the top of the stairs. The bed was handmade. And so was the dresser. The clean sheets were store bought, probably the only thing store bought in the room except the lamps and the mirror.   
  
Monica and I talked a lot that night. I found out that she was happy being married and was also busy around the house and next year was thinking of starting up a restaurant and then I decided to bring up my idea.  
  
"Hey, Monica. I was thinking."  
  
"You were?" Looking into my face, she grinned. "Sorry my husband is wearing off on me too much. Please continue."  
  
"I want to open a dress or clothes shop. You know provide clothes and make dresses for the women. I noticed at the store, that there are literally none around."  
  
"Now, that would be a good idea."  
  
"I mean, did you know I sold the clothes I was traveling in?"  
  
"I was wondering where you got the leather skirt."  
  
"It is more comfortable. And will not tear."  
  
"I might be able to talk Chandler into helping you out. He would want to be a partnered. Him or Phoebe. She would probably be the best bet. Since she would want you to make the clothes for her girls and her self."  
  
"Thanks Monica."  
  
You're welcome sweetie."  
  
Chandler then knocked on my door. "He then opened it. "Mon,. it is nearly two. Are you coming to bed?"  
  
"Night, Rach."  
  
"Night, Mon." 


	6. Ranch Life

This fic picks up where the last one left off…  
  
Disclaimer…I do not own Friends…..  
  
Enjoy…. BTW: I think the dates are right. Although I may be a bit off….  
  
And I do not want to offend anyone so I am not going to put anything about Native Americans in the fic. That is too much of a senstive subject. I am one eight Cherokee, but I would still feel like I would be ranting about how awfully the American government treated them as a whole.. What do you think?  
  
Rachel could see the expanse of the fertile land below her from the bluff. She watched the buffalo grazing on the plains below. Then a sharp cry was heard top her left. She followed the cry until her eyesight came upon a huge eagle that glided gracefully up to the cliffs above her and settled on it's nest.   
  
The wind whipped threw her hair and lifted it gently off her shoulders. Unlike back east, where everything was proper, she almost always wore her hair down. The hat she had on was on was attached by a not at her neck and was on her back under her hair.  
  
She then breathed in the clean, crisp air. The air was even different than the air at New York. The air seemed stale and stiffened. While the air seemed or smelled like freedom. That was the best way she could put it.  
  
Her well worn boots were under her pants. Her shirt tucked in her pants and her jacket over the shirt. She wore heavy leather gloves to protect her hands while she rode her horse. Which was grazing over to her right.  
  
Her horse. She had a beautiful palomino that her husband gave her as a wedding present. She promptly named the beautiful mare, Connie. Short for Constellation.   
  
Her husband. Rachel smiled. Her husband was the everything that she had ever dreamt of.   
  
Just then Connie walked over to her and begun nudging her. "Go away, go away." Rachel murmured.  
  
"Go away, go away." She then pulled the covers over her head. Someone had other ideas and pulled the covers down.  
  
Rachel moaned as someone shook her out of a deep slumber. "Rachel, Rachel….."  
  
Rachel then rolled over and grabbed a pillow and put it over her head. "Go away." Rachel murmured. So much for her perfect dream.  
  
Monica laughed. "If you do not get up soon, you will miss out on breakfast."  
  
Rachel then removed the pillow. "What time is it?" She asked as she looked at Monica.  
  
"Six thirty."  
  
"Too early." Rachel whimpered. Pulling the pillow back over her head.  
  
"Not for a ranch." Monica then continued. "It is actually a little late."  
  
"Well, I think that it is too early." Rachel countered. Peaking from out of the corner of the pillow.  
  
"So does mom. Dad has been up about as early as Chandler. He wants to see what Chandler has to do everyday and in short the whole ranch. So in short he has been following him around since he went outside. And also has been trying to help him with the work. In short he has been driving Chandler crazy." Monica then laughed.  
  
"Can't you holdback breakfast?" Rachel half pleaded and whimpered.  
  
"I already have. If I hold it back much more, I believe Joey, Chandler and dad will all mutiny on me."   
  
"Alright fine. I will be down in twenty minutes." Rachel threw the pillow aside.  
  
Monica then folded her arms and raised her right eyebrow. "Ten minutes or you will NOT get any. Understand?"  
  
"When did you become such an early bird and such a nag?" Rachel then sat up, bringing her knees to her chest.  
  
"I have been up since five this morning, and I have to be this way or I will fall behind schedule. You see, if I do not time everything just right, then certain things will not get done. And everything I do around here is important. You see, I have a house to clean, food to get on the table, milking, gathering eggs, washing, ironing, mending, sewing and my garden to tend. That does not include the other chores like canning, making preserves, picking berries and other edible plants, taking the rugs out once a week and hitting them, cleaning out the oven once a week and fireplaces once a month, gathering certain wild vegetables, the weekly churning and butter making, making cheese, and spring cleaning although I am preparing for the winter by cleaning out the store rooms and stocking them. And don't forget that I have to watch Daniel as well as feed and bathe him. He is getting to be a huge handful. So I do not have time to be late on anything. So you see, I do not have time to be tired." Monica then sat down on the bed and closed her eyes as she sighed.  
  
"What is wrong?" Rachel asked concerned.  
  
Monica had tears in her eyes. "Rachel, I am pregnant. What am I going to do? I have so much that needs to get done, that I do not have time for resting I already have a toddler that is a handful enough and now I will be having another." Monica placed her right hand on her stomach. "I am so tired that all I want to do is to get under the covers and fall asleep for the rest of the year."  
  
"MONICA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is she up yet?" Chandler's voice yelled upstairs.  
  
"ARGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!! I am just now getting dressed, I will be down in a minute!" Rachel yelled back. Rachel then put her hand over Monica's. "Your friend is here now, and we will talk about this. And I will help!" Rachel then quickly got up and started to get dressed.  
  
Monica then left the room and walked over to her mom's to see if she was done. Looking inside, she could see that her mother had fallen back to sleep. Monica decided to let her sleep, knowing that her mother was not used to getting up past nine. If she got up before nine, Judy Geller would consider that early.  
  
So she turned around and left and decided to put an extra plate in the holder of the stove. So that the plate and it's contents could be kept warm.  
  
As she was walking down the stairs, Rachel caught up with her. "So what is for breakfast?"  
  
"That was fast." Monica committed looking at her clothes.  
  
"Well, putting on pants tends to be faster than those fancy dresses. Not as many stays and buttons. And no corsets, thank God!"  
  
Monica then smiled. "I know, it feels so much better without those confine things."  
  
"What does Chandler think?"  
  
"He hates them. I will explain why later." They then arrived in the kitchen.   
  
"Let me guess, the clothes are easier to get off without those things." Rachel then smiled. "He looks like the type of man who will not leave you alone for very long." They then entered the kitchen.  
  
Rachel sat beside Jack and Joey. While Jack sat beside Monica who sat beside Chandler. In the middle of the table was a huge bowel of eggs, a gigantic serving dish of bacon, gravy, hash browns, biscuits, oatmeal, sugar, fruits, coffee, milk, cheese, butter and three types of jam and preserves. Rachel was amazed at how much food there was.  
  
"Rachel, you had better sit down and eat before Joey eats it all. And he will." Chandler deadpanned.  
  
Rachel sat down and laughed. "That is funny Chandler."  
  
"Rachel, he is not joking." Monica looked at her friend.  
  
Seeing how much Joey was stuffing in his mouth, she quickly grabbed a serving spoon and started serving herself. As well as the others who were trying to quickly consume as much as they could before Joey ate it all..   
  
"Your mom not hungry?" Chandler asked between mouthfuls of food.  
  
"She is still asleep." Monica replied. Carefully eating her food. She was only eating fruits, oatmeal with a bit of milk and sugar in it and drinking some milk and water. Something that did not go unnoticed by Chandler.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Rachel and Monica had finished with the dishes and were letting them dry. And were sitting down, talking while peeling potatoes for lunch.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes. I am tired all the time. I can not stand fried foods or spicy foods. I have already thrown up at least three times. I can no longer sleep at night not to mention that I want to cry all the time and over nothing. Rachel, there is so much that needs to be done in the next couple of weeks. I have no idea what I am going to do. " Monica sat her knife down and clasped her hands.  
  
"Well, for one thing, I am going to stay and help you out. I can and will learn everything that needs to be done. So you will not be alone."  
  
Monica smiled. "Thanks Rachel."  
  
"I have a question for you. How much do you two well…how often…" Rachel could not finish.  
  
"Every chance he gets."  
  
"What? WOW!" Rachel looked at Monica and tell that she was about to say something else. "Well, that is a good thing right? I mean he really thinks a lot of you."  
  
"Yeah, but only as a bed partner and a way to get rid of his frustrations."  
  
"Chandler…"  
  
"Rachel, don't get me wrong, I care a lot for him. And I know that he loves me. But…"  
  
"Wait a minute. You don't love him?"  
  
"Yes I love him. I just don't think in the same way he love me. I mean I care for him. He is my husband and the father of my child soon to be children. But that is as far as it goes. You see, I was given no choice in the marriage. He tricked me into it."   
  
"What? I don't understand."  
  
"Well…..it all started.…" Monica then went on to explain. "So now you see the reason why I feel the way toward him that I do."  
  
"You know that you could have had it worse. Marrying a man who would beat you or mistreat you."  
  
"I know that. I told you yesterday a good friend of mine was killed because of that. And she was totally in love with the man."  
  
"Chandler would never lift a finger toward you. I'd wager."  
  
"You are right. He never has even though I probably deserved a good spanking at times." Monica shook her head at some memories.  
  
"At least give him a chance."  
  
"I am doing just that. But after this child, I do not want any more. But, Chandler will not leave me alone. I know that about him. I am just tired of it. That is until he goes in and kisses me or touches me, then I want him just as much. You see he has me well trained, just like one of his horses that he broke or a dog that he trained."  
  
"Monica, he does not feel that way about you." Rachel was shocked to say the least.  
  
"Well, it feels that way. There are times that he makes excuses to comeback to the house so he could take me upstairs to our room. I feel that my main job around here is to lay on my back and let him go at me."   
  
Rachel shook her head. "Tell him that you are tired and need your rest. Particularly now. He will understand.."  
  
"I mean after the baby." Monica sighed. "You just don't understand, Rachel. You probably never will."  
  
Just then a knock at the door. "Am I interrupting anything?" Chandler asked as he walked in.  
  
"Nothing much, just getting the stew for lunch started." Monica explained. "What do you need?"  
  
"Pemmican. We will be gone until dinner tonight so you will not have to hurry today for food. We have to get the calves branded today."  
  
"How much do you need?"  
  
"One for Jack, Joey and myself." Monica then got up and filled up five bags full of bread and pemmican.   
  
"Three for Joey and one for each of you. That ought to see all of you until dinner." She then handed Chandler the bags.  
  
"If this is not enough, I am sure he will be back." Chandler stated referring to their mutual friend.  
  
"I am sure he will." Monica stated.   
  
"Later, ladies." Chandler then tipped his hat to Rachel and Monica.  
  
"Do you think that he heard?" Rachel asked after he left.  
  
"Who knows." Monica shrugged her shoulders and sat back down again to keep peeling the potatoes. They then added the potatoes to the meat that was boiling on the stove. And started on the carrots and the onions. Monica let Rachel do the carrots and she did the onions.   
  
Soon enough, the stew was simmering and starting to smell more and more delicious. Monica then added pepper, salt, garlic and other spices.   
  
After that, they then went outside to work on the garden. Monica showed Rachel which plants or weeds were to be pulled and when to gather up the ripe vegetables and when not to. Afterwards, they went back into the house and Monica washed and added some beans to the stew.  
  
They then started cleaning the house and soon enough, they sat down in the kitchen with Daniel and Monica let Rachel feed him. He was eating mashed potatoes.  
  
"Aren't you the cutest little boy." He then opened his mouth to get some potatoes. "Which are you hoping for a baby brother or sister?" Rachel wiped his mouth off after he finished his last bite. "All done." Rachel then looked over at Monica who happened to be quiet. "hey, Mon….." Monica was asleep at the table with her head resting on her arms.  
  
"How long has she been like this?" A voice asked from behind. Rachel turned in her chair to see that it was Chandler.  
  
"Not very long." Rachel looked up at Chandler. "I thought that you left."  
  
"I noticed how exhausted Monica was acting this morning and decided to stay with her today. So I gave the food to Gary and he is going in my place."  
  
"Oh I see. You think a lot of her, don't you?"   
  
"She means the world to me. Do you know what is wrong?"   
  
"I think that she should tell." Rachel explained.  
  
"Fair enough." He then looked around. "Rachel, I was wondering if you could look after Daniel for me and watch the stew. Just stir it and make sure it does not stick." Chandler then picked Monica up. "I am going to put her to bed."  
  
"Chandler? I bet you know what is wrong, huh?" Rachel knew that Chandler was no idiot, and he had a pretty good idea of what was wrong with his wife.  
  
"I have an idea. I will ask her in a minute once I get her in bed." Chandler then started to carry his wife up the stairs. Meeting Judy as she was coming down. "Your breakfast plate is in the holding box of the stove downstairs. Rachel will show you where it is." Chandler said no more. Chandler then carried Monica to the room and put her down.  
  
Chandler then gently shook Monica awake. "Where am I?"  
  
"In bed. You fell asleep at the kitchen table so I brought you up here. Now why did you fall asleep?"  
  
"I am pregnant." Monica flatly replied.  
  
"I figured as much." Chandler stated as he sat on the bed. Taking off his jacket as he did and throwing it on a chair as well as his hat.  
  
"When?"   
  
"This morning." Chandler then caressed her face. "From what you were and were not eating and the way you have been acting for a bit. I could tell."  
  
"After this one, I do not want any more." Monica told him.  
  
"We will talk about it later." His hands were starting to get a lot more demanding.  
  
"I mean it Chandler." Chandler leaned forward and kissed her. "You hear me?" Chandler didn't answer. He just kissed her harder. Pushing Monica back on the bed. Monica tried pushing up against him and then gave up once she felt Chandler's hands moving around her sensitive areas. She then started to become more active.  
  
Twenty minutes later, Chandler got up and dressed and kissed Monica before he left the room. As quiet as he could. Monica was finally in a deep slumber and he felt that she should get every bit of her rest that she could.  
  
After he arrived downstairs, he saw Judy and Rachel talking in the living room taking turns holding Daniel. They both looked up as he entered.  
  
"How is she?" Judy asked.  
  
"Sleeping peacefully. But totally exhausted."  
  
"You are working her too much." Judy committed.  
  
"She is pregnant. I am going to hire someone to come in and cook and clean up a bit around here."  
  
"That is good. Just what she needs." Judy responded.  
  
"No you will not!" Monica stated firmly as she stood in the doorway.  
  
"Mon…"  
  
"No. This is my house and we are not going to hire someone to come in here and mess it up or to make horrible food."  
  
"At least someone to help you out with the babies." Chandler tried reasoning.  
  
"No and that is that!" Monica then stalked towards the kitchen.  
  
"That is what she thinks." Chandler muttered half aloud.  
  
"I heard that! And NO! End of discussion."  
  
"So she thinks." Chandler then thought a bit and grinned. "I will be right back. Ladies." He smiled and then left.  
  
An hour later, Chandler returned with two young ladies. An Oriental and a young black woman. "Monica I would like you to meet your help. This is Julie, she is to help you with your cooking and Charlotte is to clean around the house." Before Chandler could go on, Monica turned calmly to Rachel, Judy, Charlotte and Julie.   
  
"Please excuse us, I have something to discuss with my husband." She then pulled Chandler back into the study and started screaming at him. And then after a bit his voice could be heard as well.   
  
While they were in the middle of the 'discussion', Rachel turned toward the two young women. "They both are very passionate about what they do." Seeing that neither said anything. "So tell me about yourselves."  
  
"My name is Julie Chan. My mother and father came over from China and I was the first born of my family here in America. My father died in a cave in when they started working on the railroad. My mother died two years ago. Before she did, she made me promise to get a good job as she would be proud of. In short no prostitution. I felt that I could be a good cook and that is what I have been doing. I heard about Central Bluffs needing cooks and laundrusses.. So I came out here."  
  
"My story is not as pretty." Charlotte started, with a bit of a southern lilt to her voice. "I was a slave when I was a young girl. But I worked up in the big house cleaning, laundry, tending the house gardens, and every now and then and taking care of the babies. I guess you could say that I ended up here, because I wanted as far from the south as I could get. And I felt that Central Bluffs would give me a fresh new start."  
  
At the end of that, Chandler and Monica both emerged from the study. "Fine, only on a trial period."   
  
Soon after she said that, Gary walked inside, "Uh, Mister Chandler, you had better come on outside. The marshal wants to see you." Then noticing Charlotte, he nodded his head towards her and smiled. She smiled back.  
  
Chandler went out to talk to the marshal. "Paul won't you come in and get something to drink?"  
  
"As tempting as that is, I have to warn the other ranchers around this area. Patterson was found gut shot this morning, his barn and house burnt down and his heard gone."  
  
"Rustlers?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"Forming a possey?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Alright, Let me get some provisions and we can go get some hands." Chandler walked back into the house.  
  
"Chandler, what happened?'  
  
"Jake Patterson is dead."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I need some food. Pemmican and so forth. And you had better make up some for six others."  
  
"You are going on a possey."  
  
"Yup." Chandler then went to the study and got some bullets and other supplies while Monica went and got some food gathered.  
  
She then put the bags on the extra horse that Gary had brought around. Monica looked up at Chandler. "Take care."  
  
Chandler looked down at Monica. "Monica, take Daniel, your mother and father, Charlotte, and Julie and go and stay with Phoebe."  
  
"But…"  
  
"Monica, those people mean business. Jake is already dead, I have no wish to have you or the others die either. Now get packed and get started." He then turned toward Gary and told him to see that they got to town. Then kicked his horse into high gear and rode off toward his ranch hands.  
  
Judy Geller stood there shaking her head. "What kind of a mother are you to raise your kid in this barbaric place? When you would be safe and sound in New York.." Soon after saying that, Judy Geller walked back into the house to pack. Grumbeling about getting back to civilization as soon as she could.  
  
It took a bit, but Ross had finally found a job working with the railroad. The Trans Continental Railroad was completed in 1878. But even though it was completed, they were still adding on to it. Whether it be extra lines or tunnels dug Into the mountains.  
  
He worked on the railroad in the mountainous parts of California. Seeing that the jobs that he did were not exactly easy. He started as a hired back and then when they found out about his past work with numbers and so forth. He worked with dynamite and so forth trying to explode open the huge bowels of the earth that would eventually swallow up the trains.   
  
After the exploding, he used his back to help get the residue out of the mountains forming tunnels. There were a few misses when the tunnels collapsed. Only one time he was in one, but somehow managed to escape.   
  
His hands were getting blistered and he was getting stronger. Soon enough, he was no longer thought of as a soft easy man from the city.  
  
After a while, he soon discovered that he changed. Both physically and mentally. For example, he no longer was attracted to rich, flighty females. He liked women that had a bit more substance to them.  
  
The woman of his dreams had to be independent and he wanted one that was used to hardship and was sure of herself and what she wanted. He would never again look toward status as a prerequisite to determine what he wanted. He wanted someone as his equal. Who knew what life was truly like. And not just sugar coated.  
  
Ok so how am I doing? Please review. BTW: Sorry about taking so long, my computer has been giving me fits! Hopefully, all has been worked out! 


	7. A New Life

I do not own Friends. 

Here is the next part of the story. Hope that you like.

Recap:  
Last time, Monica, Rachel, Judy, and some others went to stay at Phoebe's because cattle rustlers.

A New Life

For Monica while waiting for Chandler, the minutes seemed to drag on. She was always on her feet, walking around with Daniel. So intent on humming him a lullaby, she did not notice the door opening.

"Well, you two are a sight for sore eyes."

"CHANDLER!" Monica then ran over and hugged him hard. Which ended in a kiss.

"It is good to see you, beautiful." He then took Daniel's hand and held it. "And you as well, buddy."

"What happened? Is everybody alright? Did anyone get shot?'

"Well, to start off with, no one was hurt. We found the rustlers sleeping off their drink. So right about now they are the only ones who are nursing headaches from their hangovers."

"That is all?" Monica looked hopefully up at Chandler.

"Strange you should say that. Your father said the same thing. Only he was disappointed." Chandler chuckled. "I think he was wanting a bit more action."

"Chandler. I think we ought to talk over something very important." Monica took a deep breath. "Do you think we are right raising our children here? I mean there is really no order. And there are only three lawmen for miles. Would our children really be safer out here than in New York?"

Chandler sat down on a chair and looked up at Monica. "Monica, while there are times that it is dangerous out here, there are plusses as well."

"I know. More room."

"Not just that. Think about it, back in New York, if shall we say, smallpox starts, than an epidemic could more easily spread. All of those cramped conditions. Fire also. And there are far more murders that occur in the bigger cities." Chandler stopped he was about to go on.

"You are right Chandler. I was just thinking on something that mom said. But, thinking about it, she is wrong." Monica then went and sat in his lap. "Now when do you want to go home?" Chandler smiled and held her tight.

Later on that day, Monica who was feeling much better, was busy spending time with her mom and dad before they went back to New York.

"Are you sure you'd rather stay out here than go back Monica? I mean think of your children." Judy reminded Monica.

"Mom, I am sure. I mean it is not as bad as it sounds or seems. You just caught us on an off day. Actually it is pretty quiet around here. I mean think about it. Not as cramped, so we have more room. There will not be a bad case of an epidemic. Even though some people may end up getting sick, the disease will not spread as bad. We have very good neighbors. How well do you know your neighbors back east?"

"I suppose you do make a point." Judy conceded.

"Of course she does." Jack boomed out. "Think about it, Judy, if we were younger, and just starting out, we would probably move out here as well."

"Well, we are not." Judy huffed out.

"Too bad." Jack sighed.

"Too bad! What do you mean too bad?" Judy asked astonished.

To stop an argument, Monica asked the question that was on her mind. "When will you both be going back to New York?"

"Tomorrow." Judy said it quick and final. So there was booking no argument. "Now that I see that at least one of my children are ok and doing well for herself, I think that our job here is done. The only thing that I want to ask you is if you hear from your brother, then let us know. Also, I will expect a letter from you at least once a month."

Monica smiled a bit. "Will do."

The next day, Monica, Chandler, Daniel, Rachel and Leonard were standing at the Wells Fargo office saying goodbye to Jack and Judy Geller as they prepared to take the stagecoach back east. After saintlier goodbyes the couple climbed aboard and soon they headed off.

Monica smiled sadly down at her son that she was holding. "At least I now know that your grandparents were worried about me and cared enough to come out here." Chandler just held her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. Soon after, Chandler and Monica headed home, Leonard walked toward his tent/ office, and Rachel ran off to find Joey who she was about to make sure that he followed through with his promise.

Three days later a telegram came. It was for Chandler informing him that his mom was on her way out west to see him and had something important to tell him.

Once Monica heard that, she and Julie and Charlotte went into full gear cleaning the house and starting to think of an idea for a feast made. Monica was really nervous about meeting Chandler's mom. And she wanted to make a great first impression.

Three weeks later, Nora Bing arrived by stagecoach. She was helped down by a man that she had been flirting with the entire time. After the flirting, she went over to see her son and to meet her daughter-in-law and to see her grandson.

Once arriving at the ranch house, she befriended Monica and flattered her to no end. Whether it was how she was raising her grandson, a housekeeper, cook, or what ever she saw that Monica did. And was exceedingly happy that she was to get another grandchild. Monica lapped it up.

Of course Nora stated that she was glad that she finally had a daughter. And was concerned that her son was going to be a devoted bachelor and deny her not only a daughter but also grandchildren as well.

The day that Nora arrived, Rachel wanted to talk to Phoebe. So she went to her hotel and saw her there in the lobby.

"Phoebe, I have a business proposition for you."

"Well, you don't beat around the bush, do you?"

"I can come back later if you are busy."

"Rachel, out with it."

"I need collateral."

"And what do you need money for?"

"I want to open a dress shop."

"Dress shop?"

"Yeah, to make dresses, sell material and other such items."

Phoebe smiled. "That sounds like a great idea. But I want half of the profits until you are done paying me off. And I insist that your first customers be me and my girls. Deal?" She then extended out her hand.

"Deal." The two women shook on it.

They then had her dress shop built. And to her word, Rachel made some new dresses for Phoebe and her girls. Her shop had dresses, coats, pattern books, material, shoes and other wear. The clothes were bought and hand made as well. The hand made ones cost more. But some women were happy to pay the extra money for good dresses.

Two months later, a church was completed, Leonard had his office built and a man by the name of Joshua Smith who became the town lawyer rode into town and was later elected the town prosecutor.

And of course, Ethan Jacobs was the defender. He was a young man from the east who went out to strike it rich in the gold fields. He was sick of practicing law, but he was even sicker of not having enough money to eat or to live on. So he took the job, no problem.

That winter, Chandler, Monica, Daniel, Joey, Rachel and Leonard all celebrated Christmas at the ranch. As well as Charlotte, Julie, Gary and few other of the ranch hands. They had a huge Christmas tree that Joey and Chandler went and cut down and hauled back to the house on a travois that was led by a horse.

Monica decorated the house so pretty. She had hand made ornaments up all over the place. And she and Julie also made a huge lunch. They had fried chicken, potatoes, green beans, corn, beans, rolls, and two kinds of pies.

Later that night, they had more food without the ranch hands and exchanged presents. They sang carols and later on went to bed.

That February, Monica gave birth to twins. Two girls. Once that happened everyone was extremely happy.

The ranch was coming along fine, as was the town. The lumber mill and mine were shut down until the spring. Which suited Joey fine, he was busy with the ranch.

Five years later…

Everything was looking up for Chandler. He had wonderful friends, four happy and healthy children a beautiful, caring wife and even another child on the way. So things could not have been better.

Monica was starting to show. And no longer tired anymore. She had a loving husband, two happy and healthy boys and twobeautiful daughters and very good friends. Now she even had her parents back as well.

Daniel was six years old and in school. He was a typical rancher's son. Had his own horse and loved the ranch life. He was rambunctious and always running around and loved to ride the ranch with his father and Uncle Joey.

Emma Phoebe and Leslie Rachel were strong headed five year old girls and were spoiled rotten. They played everything from tea party to dolls and dress up. But they were both tom boys and loved to climb trees with their brothers and play in the mud which drove Monica crazy to no end.

Jason Leonard was three years old and while the he played with theother children outdoors, he loved to spend time indoors and play quietly not to mention look through books. Of all the children, you couldtell that he wasa mommy's boy.

Joey was doing fine. He had more money in the bank than anyone else. Because of his mine and sawmill. Although he shut the mine down two years ago, he still had enough money. There were times he would visit the whorehouse to take care of his needs. Usually he was too busy working to think much about anything concrete. But there were times when he wanted a wife and then kids.

Phoebe was doing well herself. A true self made woman, she owned half the town. And was well respected. There were times that she was lonely for male companionship. Unlike Rachel, She let it be known early on that she would not date any man because she had a business to run.

Rachel now owned her own dress shop. And she even had Julie Wong working for her. Women came everyday to buy dresses, lace, materials, hats, shoes, and such. She was also added some more clothes for men as well. And what was interesting for her, all of the bachelors around town were after her. She would pick and choose who she would date, but it was nothing serious. She was not interested in them. She still had her dreams.

Leonard Green was very happy. He now had a clinic and was a very busy country doctor. He had patients all the time. Everyone from checkup to even surgery. Now and then he even would look after animals.

Everyone was happy and content. They all had what they wanted. Except a teacher. Emily who was married to the banker. Or Pete Becker. No longer taught school because she was expecting. So the town had to hire a new school teacher.

Mining camp in Nevada...

Ross went home tired. Working the night shift in the mine in Nevada was not the best of things. But he needed money. And fast. He almost had enough money saved up to pay back the gambler and hopefully rescue his sister back.

On the way home, he quickly jumped in the cold creek to get the soot and sweat off his body. That helped but not enough. He still needed to get a bath. But what he needed even more was sleep. He cut back on expenses. Everything he did was all geared to Monica.

On his way back, he met one of his roommates that worked during the day. He nodded to the man and went his way. He could not believe that everything had come to this.

Within the space of four years, he lost his wife to a woman of all things. His son to a fire. And his sister to a gambler. He knew that somewhere back in his head that he probably was never going to see her again. But he had to get enough money gathered up together.

Five years ago, Ross Geller was a man who had everything. A high paying job, anice big house. A beautiful wife and a healthy young son. He loved them all so dearly. But now he was literally broke. His own parents did not respond to his letters. So he gave up writing them.

All he had now were memories and his dreams. Not to mention his work. But he hardly got paid any money. And was seriously thinking on moving . He heard of a town up in Montana called Central Bluffs. Maybe he could get a good start there.

Not as a miner. But as a school teacher. It would not be as strenuous. So he sent a letter. But he had yet to receive a letter back yet. Maybe he would soon. Maybe.

The town would also provide him with a place to stay. So he would not have to worry about his money going to the general store. And he could save up more and faster.

He entered the cabin that had five beds in it. All of them taken. So he grabbed a pillow and blanket and went outside and fell asleep on the ground. He no longer cared about what he looked like. He had a beard and wore old clothes. His boots were falling apart.

Six hours later, he woke up and went and got himself something to eat. On his way back, he stopped off at the store.

"Mr. Wailings,." Ross greeted the owner.

"Mr. Geller, You have a letter."

Ross opened the letter and smiled. "Mr. Wailings, I would like to buy a ticket on the next stagecoach. To Central Bluffs, Montana."

"Hoping to strike it rich there, Geller?"

"Nope, I am going to be a teacher. By the way, I will need a new suit and shoes."

"You have the money for that?"

"I have never charged anything to your store. Except for sleeping arrangements. So yes."

"Fine then, let's see what I have got."

Two hours later, Ross exited from a bath house, cleaned shaved and dressed in some nice clothes. The best, he kept in his traveling bag.

An hour later, he got on a stagecoach and traveled to Central Bluffs.

Hopefully I can get this fic done soon….. But as you can see, everything is starting to come together.


End file.
